Five Things
by 1oooW0rds
Summary: Various interconnected stories about five things each Loric Garde learned about each other. 5 things Five learned about her allies. V. Four is pretty cheesy Post - Rise of Nine. Pairings: Nine/Six, Eight/Marina, John/Five
1. Nine isn't a morning person

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: A new collection of stories! I know I should be working on Moments but I can't get any muse for John/Six. On the other hand, Six/Nine related things have been flashing through my mind, begging to put on paper and publish. I'm gonna try to write five mini-stories from each Garde pov. First Six about Nine. Read and review please!

Five Things: Six discovers about Nine

I. Nine isn't a morning person.

Six's eyes flickered opened at the first sign of sunlight hitting her face. She glanced around, disorientated by where she was exactly. She could feel the soft leather against her cheek. She was in the back of Nine's jeep. _With the others, _she thought with a tiny smile on her face. Pushing herself up, Six peeked over the back seat to the rear space where the others slept. Ella was tucked in the corner with an oversized jacket over her form. Eight and Marina were leaning against each other, sitting up still asleep. Eight's arm was holding Marina tightly. A smile tugged at Six's lips at the cute sight before turning to the front.

Sarah Hart was in the passenger seat with a blanket pulled over her form. It was unbelievable the Paradise girl was here. The human girl should be at home, safe and sound not dragged into this mess that was their lives. Six couldn't help but feel sorry for her, for falling for a Lorien warrior. Her hazel eyes flickered over to where John was sleeping in the driver's seat. His head was tilted down with a few blonde locks falling into his face. His hair was longer now, making him seem even younger. Six studied the boy for a bit, savoring the quiet morning.

"We should get going." Six murmured to herself as she ran her fingers through her dyed blonde hair. "John, wake up." She said, shaking his broad shoulder. It took a second but the boy groggily opened his blue eyes and stared at her like he couldn't believe she was right in front of him. "Morning, Sunshine." She greeted with a bit of a smile which he returned. "We need to get moving."

"Yeah, keys…" John muttered as he riffled through his pockets but came up empty. "Nine has to have them." Six glanced around; realizing the illusive seventh member of their group wasn't in the car. "He's probably on the roof. He hates sleeping in the car. I'll get him."

"No, don't worry. I got it." Six said as she crawled over to her open window and wiggled through. She sat on the edge, studying the sprawled form of the tall tan boy. This was the first time Six actually got a good look at the Loric boy. The chaos from yesterday jumbled her memories. The boy was sleeping with his face to the sky, an emotionless expression on his handsome face. Six shivered, not because of the cold air, but at how calm the boy appeared to be right now. She could recall the cold and calculating expression on Nine's face when he faced Setrakus Ra. He dove into the battle without hesitation, fueled by his sheer will to keep the others safe or pure anger. He was just as old as John but he appeared older and untouchable.

"Wait, Six." John said as he stepped out of the jeep, softly closing the door. Six pulled herself up, ignoring John's worried tone as she crawled over to where Nine was sleeping in the middle. Bernie was curled up beside the boy, looking at Six with sleepy beady eyes. "Hey, be careful. Nine's not exactly a morning person." Six gave him a skeptic look as she sat up on her knees.

"Oh please, John. It's not like he's gonna attack me." Six said nonchalantly as she reached out.

"Six…" John warned as she touched the sleeping boy. "SIX!" Six barely had time to move when Nine lashed out. His joust pierced the space where her neck was seconds ago. Nine's left arm grabbed the front of her shirt, dragging her close. Six could feel his breath against her face, inches separated them. She grabbed his hand, stopping him from strangling her. There was darkness in his onyx eyes as he looked at her, through her. It seemed like Nine wasn't even awake. "NINE! Let her go!" John ordered, as he jumped onto the jeep's bonnet.

"John, stay there." Six ordered before focusing on Nine. The blond boy looked between the two but followed her instructions. "Nine, let me go." She said, trying to calm her rapid heartbeat. She needed to be calm but strong at the same time. Six slowly gathered a burst of telekinesis in her right hand, ready to unleash it if necessary. Nine appeared unconcerned by her energy, still holding the joust dangerously close to her head.

"Move, Mog. I dare you." He said in a low harsh voice. _He's stuck in his dreams. _Six thought, hesitating for a second, surprised by his response.

"OW!" Nine and Six turned away from their staring contest at the sudden clang of metal below them. The back of the jeep burst open and Eight dove out, hissing in pain. They watched the boy as he rubbed the back of his neck, cursing. "Damn it, ow!" Six could feel Nine's grip on her shirt loosen as he watched the other boy jump around. "Stupid low roof, ow… What are you two doing?" Eight asked as he finally noticed the situation on the roof.

"Ugh, so loud." Nine murmured as he pushed Six off of him, withdrawing his staff. He ruffled his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. "God, it's early. Do you need something?" Six sat there, not sure how to react to the boy who only gave her a sleepy look. It was like his murderous self disappeared. "Nothing? Well, I'm going back to sleep." He announced, laying back down and turning on his side to use his arm as a pillow.

"What the hell?!" Six shouted as she reached down and dragged Nine up by the collar of his shirt, ready to throttle him. The boy didn't resist which infuriated Six even more. "You insane derange – "

"Here, this is what you want, right?" Six jumped back as he held out a jumble of keys in front of her face. A knowing smirk tugged at his kissable lips. She could only stare numbly at the boy as he extracted her fingers from his shirt. She couldn't make sense of him. "Hey, you drive." He said, tossing the keys towards John before sitting back down on the roof. "Head to Chicago. We can lay low at the penthouse and figure out where Five is. How's that for a plan, Boss?" Nine asked, smirking at her.

"Just peachy." She replied through clenched jaw before hopping off the roof. She glared up at the boy who just yawned and lay back down on the roof like nothing happened.


	2. Nine remembers too

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting! I have a whole bunch of outlines on the computer and I'm itching to get them out. The first five are going to be Nine and Six centric mostly from Six's pov. I'm kinda of fascinated with their interaction. Read and review please!

Five Things: Six discovers about Nine

II. Nine remembers too

_Chicago is beautiful, _Six grudgingly admitted as she poured herself a cup of coffee. Nine's penthouse sat on the highest skyscraper in the huge city, overlooking an amazing view. The girl sighed as she watched the sun peek through the thick clouds, outlining the array of buildings surrounding them. She walked over to the collection of leather couches Nine's Cepan placed in front of the ceiling-to-floor windows and sat down, sinking into the plushy cushions. She sighed again, feeling oddly at peace.

The penthouse was easily the flashiest place she has ever laid her eyes on, let alone lived in. They were literally staring down at the bustling Chicago crowds like gods. Six was reluctant at first. The place was out in the open with little to no protection. _But that was the whole point; _Six reminded herself, remembering how Nine confidently walked through the lobby, smiling at the lobby manager before sliding out his one-of-a-kind key to his personal elevator. The penthouse was in plain sight, meaning a direct attack would cause panic and mayhem, something the Mogs wanted to avoid. There was only one real entrance which required a key or someone from the pent had to buzz them in personally. It was like a fortress in the sky. Six would have really liked to meet Nine's Cepan, wondering what sort of person could come up with such an ingenious set up.

"I could get used to this." Six whispered as she closed her hazel eyes, savoring the sun as it warmed her skin.

"Ugh, I can't be sore now." Six jumped at the sound and peeked over the couch, watching as Nine entered the room through the gym entrance. He had headphones in his ear, blasting music as he walked past her. His head was bobbing in time as he massaged his shoulders. Six blinked, a little shocked by the boy's appearance. It was six-thirty AM. _This is the boy who nearly pierced my windpipe at eight AM. How is he awake right now? _She thought, sitting back down, hoping Nine didn't notice her as she studied his reflection in the windows.

He moved through the kitchen with practiced ease, shuffling through the drawers and pulling out random things. His sweaty shirt clenched to his narrow form. A towel hung around his long neck where his hair was tied into a short ponytail. Six was itching to cut the thing off but Nine resisted. "I don't trust you with a pair of scissors." He said when she pulled them out for Eight's haircut. Six smirked at the slightly frightened look on his face. She never thought Nine could be scared of a little hair cut. Nine idly grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and finished half of it before placing it on the counter. He frowned at the protein bar in his hand before unwrapping the dry prepackaged food and took a bite. "Bleh, these suck…" He murmured, sticking his tongue out before shoving the rest into his mouth and finished his bottle of water.

Nine continued moving without acknowledging Six's presence, cracking his neck as he stretched his arms. He went through a series of stretches like touching his toes and pulling his legs back for his hamstrings. Six found herself watching him move, fascinated by his prompt back muscles and tone legs. He was like a black panther, silent but deadly. "If you're done checkine me out, can you pass me that iPod?" Six blinked and turned her shock expression into an annoyed one. The boy smirked at her glare, giving her a playful wink.

"Why do you need this if you're already plugged in?" Six asked as she stood up, grabbing the little black touch screen device. She remembered seeing teenagers with them, playing games and browsing the web. She always wanted one. "It's just a music player, right?" Nine pulled the device from her hands, touching a few buttons before a tiny white dot appeared in the middle. It was like something out of a video game. Six leaned in, fascinated by the device.

"Not exactly. It actually can't play music. Sandor built it for me, a little personal Mog detector." Six stared at it, amazed how something so small could locate their would-be executors. Nine tucked the device into his armband. "Now, if I'm not back in thirty, send the rescue squad." Six shook her head and watched as he already tucked his headphones back in, already tuning her out.

She turned and frowned at the mess he left in the kitchen. His empty bottle and wrapper of his protein bar sat in the middle of the counter. Crumbs littered the floor where he stood moments ago. Nine's smelly towel lay on the counter, reeking. Six covered her nose and waved her hands, pushing the items towards the trash can and laundry bin. Telekinesis can be pretty useful. She ran her fingers over the marble counter with a bitter expression. For some reason, she felt sour towards Nine.

"Why?" She wondered as she placed her cold cup into the microwave. Six leaned against the counter, staring at the luxurious living room. There was a flat screen plasmas television on the wall. Various framed movie posters lined the wall. Her life could have been like this, however fleet but still, Six could have lived like this. _I'm jealous…_Six realized before looking down at her hands, feeling ashamed. Was she mad at Katarina for their crazy life? _No, _Six thought, pushing that out of her mind. She loved Katarina like a mother, loved her despite their constant vigilance life style. But deep within Six's heart, she wanted what Nine has, maybe not as glamorous, but she wanted something safe, stable and constant. _I'm jealous because I could have had this._

Six allowed the thought to stew in her mind as she pulled her cup out, grabbing the container of sugar and mindlessly added a few spoonfuls. She watched as the tiny crystals dissolved, unable to bring herself to drink the dark liquid. It reflected her pretty face and Six could see her old younger self, smiling at Katarina. Their breakfasts were always a feast of warm food, old Lorien songs and smiles all around. It was a happier time.

"Damn it, so much for running." Six allowed the memory to slip away at the sound of Nine entering the penthouse, looking pissed. He pulled out his headphones and iMog and placed them on the counter.

"Mogadorians?" Six asked, itching for a distraction to fight off the old memories. Nine shook his head, wordlessly pulled his tight shirt off. Six got her distraction as her mind blanks out. Nine had an amazing upper body by Lorien standards. He had defined rock hard six-pack abs and a pair of strong arms. His pendant fell over his broad shoulders. Nine was unfazed by Six's stares as he walked deeper into the kitchen, running his fingers through his hair.

"I wish." He muttered, placing his shirt on the counter as he leaned beside Six. "More like two apartment girls' boyfriends cutting in. I was just being friendly, saying hi, and asking about their morning. To be honest, the girls were hitting on me." Six rolled her eyes and continued stirring her coffee. "Are you going to finish that?"

"Yes," Six growled, taking a scalding sip. She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out and turned away from Nine. He smelt like a guy, all sweaty and masculine but somehow alluring too. There was a woodsy undertone that Six found herself drawn too. Six clenched her pendant and looked at the counter before noticing his shirt. "Hey, pick your crap up, Nine!"

"Hmm…" He hummed as he glanced back, shrugging his shoulders and continuing down the hall to his room. "It's not bothering anyone." Six grounded her teeth together, and grabbed the shirt, chasing after the boy. She balled it up and threw it as hard as she could towards his head. The balled up shirt flew through the air before it hovered to a stop, a few away from Nine's head. "Really, Six?"

"Yes, really. You know what bothers me? You. You and your spoiled life style. You have no idea how good you have it here, how lucky you are to have such a nice home, a place to call a home! You don't appreciate anything!" Six panted, hands clenched by her side, wondering what exactly forced her over the edge, causing her to scream at a boy because of his sweaty t-shirt. Six was going insane. That's the only explanation Six could think of.

"That's right." Six's mouth dropped at the sound of his low controlled voice. She was sure he was going to lash out at her. But looking at Nine right now, Six's only thought was how vulnerable he looked. He was holding his shirts, clutching at the fabric tightly. "You really don't appreciate things until they're gone." The boy looked up at her with deep sad onyx eyes before entering his room. Six leaned against the hall wall, feeling the physical ache too. She was pretty sure he wasn't talking about his lavish life style.


	3. Nine has a Disney collection

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: Half way through Six's arc! Yay! Thank you for reading and review guys! Keep it up! Hope you like this one as much as the others. Enjoy!

Five Things: Six discovers about Nine

III. Nine has a Disney collection

Six's eyes opened just as a giant flash lit up the room followed by the loud clash and boom of thunder. The girl lay in her bed for a second, feeling the fury of the storm throughout her body. She was jealous of the storm, for its freedom and for its strength. She felt like she was trapped in some gilded cage. They haven't been able to move in days, still looking and weighting the pros and cons of moving anywhere. Six sighed and rolled over in her bed, trying to tamper down on the energy buzzing through her body. She needed to move now. Six growled, sat up and brushed her loose hair out of her face, glancing around the bedroom the girls claimed in Nine's penthouse.

Despite the limitless amount of rooms they had, none of them, beside Nine, were comfortable sleeping alone. The guest room Six, Marina and Ella claimed was spacious with two queen-size beds. It reminded Six of the many motel rooms she and Katarina stayed at when they were searching for a new home. Six rubbed the back of her neck and focused on the second bed. Marina slept peacefully, oblivious of the raging storm outside their windows. She hugged a pillow to her chest as she slept facing Six. Her dark brown hair was free from its usual braid, fanning around her heart-shape face. She has been adjusting well to everything, considering she was thrown into the middle of it.

_Of course, she has Eight to help her. _Six thought as she ran her fingers through her hair, looking for the small lump that would be Ella. The spot beside Marina was empty with only ruffled sheets and a crumpled pillow occupying the space. _Where did she wander off to? _Six pulled one of the soft fleece blankets around her bare shoulders and slipped out of the warm bed. Her feet barely made a sound on the carpet as she headed towards the door. The whole place was eerie as Six wandered to the main living room. The lights from the city created huge shadows from the furniture. It seemed like the only sound Six could hear was the relentless rain pounding against the glass. There was no sign of the young redhead in the living room.

"Where is she?" Six whispered, needing to fill up the silence with her own words. She could hear the faint sound of John and Eight's snores from their shared room as she walked passed. Her fingers traced the wall as she walked in the darkness. She paused in front of Nine's door, failing to hear anything. "Ella?"

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…" Six looked up, confused by the cartoony singing. Following the sound, she ventured into a separate part of the huge penthouse. There was one door outlined with light from the inside. Six slowly pushed it open and gasped; not expecting what was behind the door.

The room was in the middle of the house with all the walls painted a deep shade of maroon. There were huge posters of famous movies hanging from two walls. Six recognized a few movie posters like The Dark Knight and Casino Royale. The third one was a floor-to-ceiling shelf of movies and books. On the last wall was a huge flat screen television and sound system. A plushy red couch sat in front of it. Playing on the screen was a movie with a dark blue fish and a clown fish, arguing about something. Six smiled at their antics and entered the room, taking it all in.

"Ella, you shouldn't be in… aw." Six said, finally seeing the scene on the couch. Ella, in six year old form, was curled up with a blanket pulled over her. Her head was resting on Nine's knee. The boy was asleep too, leaning on his propped up arm. His black hair, finally cut shorter, still had wisps fall onto his forehead. He wore a plain white t-shirt with a pair of black pajamas bottoms. His arm was draped over Ella's shoulders, keeping her warm. He looked different than the last time she found him asleep on the jeep. He actually looked peaceful instead of an eerily calm. Six kneeled down beside Ella, about to pick up the little girl before she noticed the twin tear streaks on her pretty pale face. The little girl's fingers were clenching Nine's pant leg like it was a lifeline. "Oh sweetie," Six murmured as her eyes softened and she reached out to smooth Ella's hair.

"No, Ella, not Toy Story 3." Nine murmured in his sleep before opening his eyes. He looked at Six and rubbed his eyes, shifting a bit. Ella whimpered and curled closer to the boy. Nine glanced down, trying to piece together the scene in front of him. "Almost forgot about her," Nine whispered to Six before shifting Ella into his lap and scooping her up. Six followed wordlessly as Nine turned off the movie and moved through the halls to the girls' room. She opened the door and Nine gave her a thankful smile before entering.

"Crayton…" Ella murmured against Nine's chest as the boy lowered her onto Six's bed. The hazel eyed girl frowned and hugged herself from the doorway, watching as Nine sat beside the sleeping Ella, patting her head in a soothing manner. Six couldn't see his expression from her position.

"I know." Nine whispered to Ella in a soft tone before pulling the covers up to her chin. He left the room silently, checking on Marina for a fleet second before joining Six outside. The two stood there, looking at their sleeping friends before Nine gently shut the door. "Come on, I'll make some cocoa." Nine whispered to Six. His breath brushed a piece of her dark hair, causing it to swing between them. Six nodded her head and followed.

"When did Ella wake up?" Six asked as she sat on top of the marble counter. The room looked less scary now with the kitchen light slipping into the living room. The storm was dying down to a gently patter and accompanied by Nine's movements lost its powerful quality. Nine was standing by the stove, heating up some milk before added a liberal amount of chocolate.

"I'm not sure. I was working in the workshop, trying to find any sign of Five. She wandered in with her blanket, crying quietly. I think she had a nightmare about her Cepan." Nine summarized as he ran his fingers through his newly cropped hair. A troubled expression crossed his handsome face before he looked up and smiled at Six. "I was able to calm her down with a few movies, thankfully."

"Crayton was a great man." Six stated as she pulled her blanket closer to her body, trying to find the strength to speak about the dead. Nine carried the drinks over, forcing the mug into her busy hands, before sitting beside her on the counter. They were both watching the dying storm as Six gathered her thoughts. "He took control, helping us find Eight. He had a level head and seemed like he knew what the next step was. Crayton kept us safe. He was a really good man."

"I'm sure he was." Nine replied, sliding his hand over to gently hold hers. Six jumped at the initial contact but relaxed against the feel of his warm hand. "They all were." Six looked at Nine but he was still staring outside. His hand was callous and sturdy, a hand of someone who worked with them constantly. They were comfortable though. Six felt like Nine's hands were made for holding, for protecting what's dear to him. His thumb rubbed over her knuckles in a soothing manner. Six felt relaxed by his presence. "Ella's a strong girl."

"I know but some days I wish she didn't have to be so strong." Six admitted, squeezing his hand and drawing Nine's gaze away from the window. "She shouldn't have this burden."

"No one should." Nine replied, leaning in close to look directly into her eyes. Six couldn't turn away, smelling the chocolate on his breath and feeling the intensity in his onyx eyes. "Some people are just born with tragedy in their blood. We're the unlucky few."

_This is getting too dark. _Six thought as she looked at her cup, trying to forget the intense look in his dark eyes. _This is Nine. Flirty, annoying Nine with his smiles and sarcastic comments. _"I guess but someone has the complete Disney collection in his cinema room." She said in a teasing tone. Nine actually looked sheepish as he released her hand and turned away. "Are you blushing?"

"Are you crazy?" Nine asked, looking at her, revealing the light blush peppered across his handsome face. The dark haired giggle giggled at the sight and quickly placed her mug down to cover her face. A genuine shocked expression crossed Nine's face as Six continued giggling.

"What?" She said between her chuckles, biting her lip as Nine gave her a skeptic look.

"Did you just giggle?" Nine asked in an astonished voice which caused Six's smile to grow even larger. Nine returned it without thinking. _He has a pretty smile. _"The great Six giggling? Call the Mogs." Six shoved his shoulders, still trying to contain her laugher. The boy chuckled too, leaning his arms back on the counter as he stared at the ceiling.

"My Cepan, Sandor, was a movie buff if you haven't noticed already." Nine started; a smile still present on his handsome face. Six listened quietly as Nine recalled a memory, one of the few happy memories he had of his Cepan. "He would call me his young ward like something out of a Batman movie. It was a silly nickname but he was always in a good mood when he called me that. There were always nights when Sandor would stay up late, fiddling with his gadgets and hiding his workshop. I would always hear some movie playing in the background like he couldn't handle the silence. He always had a thing for superhero movies. Probably because no matter how bad things were, the good guys would always find a way to save the day."

"Like us." Six said, hopping off and flashing a confident smile at the boy. "We will figure out a way. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but we will find a way." Nine nodded his head and returned her smile. "Hey, do you have Up? I love that movie."

"I was hiding under your porch because I love you." Nine quoted easily, doing his best Dug impression, coaxing a giggling out of Six.


	4. Nine is a bad liar

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: Hey guys, this one is a little darker than the last. Sorry, it can't all be smiles and sunshine in the Lorien world. This was actually really hard to write. Anyways, thank you for reading and review, especially **Insert a Catchy Penname Here **(love your penname) and ** . . .Five**. Your constant reviews help so much.

Five Things: Six discovers about Nine

IV. Nine is a bad liar

**So. Much. Blood.**

Those three words kept repeating over and over again in Six's head as she tried to stop the bleeding. Her movements were frantic as she assessed the situation. Without thinking, Six pulled her own shirt off, pressing it against the grave wound. The boy beneath her grunted and let out a low groan in pain. Six's lips moved but no words left her mouth. Her mind was clouded by the sharp copper smell which invaded her nose and the stickiness of her hands, hands that were stained red with Nine's blood. "Please, please." Six whispered to herself, pressing harder to the gushing abdomen wound.

_Keep constant pressure on the wound. _Six remembered Marina reading from a web page. Despite her Legacy, Marina wanted to learn as much as she could with medicine. Six, right now, was thankful for the girl's passion. _Even if it's just your hands, anything is better than no pressure. _Six looked around anxiously for any sign of help. The woods were quiet, too quiet for a post-Mog attack. "Shit, shit, shit." She repeated.

"Repeating shit over and over against isn't really helping anyone." Six looked down at the sound of Nine's raspy voice. His eyes were closed shut from the pain as he grimaced. His hair was matted against his forehead from the sweat. The shirt he wore was torn from the attack. Six scowled at him and applied even more pressure to his wound, forcing a painful gasp out of the boy. "Fuck! Six!"

"It helps me, asshole." She murmured, looking down at Nine's shoes or rather his shoe laces. "Give me your hand." Six ordered before grabbing the limp limb and pressed it against his wound. "Constant pressure." The boy nodded his head as she let go. She tugged frantic at his shoes, trying to get the laces undone. Nine's breathing was slowly growing shallower with each passing second. A short sadistic laugh escaped his mouth. "Are you laughing? This isn't funny, Nine. You're bleeding."

"Yeah, I am." He laughed, leaning his head back against the ground as he looked at the dark night sky. "I'm fucking bleeding. You're shirtless and tugging at my shoes and I'm stuck with the one Loric who can't heal wounds. This is fucking hilarious." He laughed, clearly delirious from the blood loss. Six shook her head, quickly returning to his side and replaced his limp hands with hers, reapplying the pressure. Nine grunted and watched as Six used his shoe laces to keep her shirt against his wound. "Well, at least there's one upside to this." He murmured, looking at Six's scarcely clad form.

"Only you, Nine, would find a way to be perverted while dying." Six muttered before realizing how grave her words were. "No, Nine, you can't die." She looked at the boy, noting his far off expression and bitter smile. "No, no, you can't. I'm not going to let you die."

"Nine…" A heartbreaking voice whispered from behind Six. She turned around, completely forgetting about the thirteen year old with them. Ella sat there looking completely shaken with a dagger clenched tightly in her fingers. Her amber hair had sticks and leaves tangled in the mess. Her t-shirt and jeans had tiny rips in them caused by the branches. Her already pale face looked haggard as she stared at her dying friend. Her breathing was irregular and she looked like she was going to faint.

"Ella…" Six whispered, not sure what to say in the situation. She wasn't clear what to do herself. Too much was going on, too many things Six needed to do. She needed to stop Nine's wound from bleeding. She needed to make sure the Mogs were all dead. She needed to find Marina and the others, making sure everyone was alive. So many things but she could only focus on Nine right now.

"Hey kiddo, looks like I'm in a bit of a trouble." Nine murmured his breathing even shallower than before. He tried to appear nonchalant as he spoke to Ella. He was the calmest in the frantic situation and Six hated him for it. "Come here, sweetie. Everything is going to be fine." Ella crawled over, dropping the knife and wrapped her shaky hands around Nine's left one. Tears were already falling from her amber eyes. "No, no, don't cry. You know I'm horrible with crying girls, especially ones as cute as you. This is nothing. Just a scratch." Ella shook her head, lifting Nine's limp hand to cup her cheek. The sight was heartbreaking. "No, Six, not you too." Six jumped when she felt Nine's unoccupied hand reached up, brushing her cheek. She stared at the tiny tear drop on his fingertip. "I especially don't like it when you cry, Six."

"I'm crying because you're a horrible liar, Nine." Six said, pressing his hand closer to her face and giving it a tight squeeze. Nine chuckled and coughed, flecks of blood hitting her face. She shook her head, unable to believe the image in front of her. "Don't die, Nine."

"If…" Six gave him a glare. "No, when I make it out of this, you owe me a kiss." Six let out a watery chuckle and Nine returned it with a shaky smile. "Promise?"

"Deal." Six said just as Nine's eyes closed from exhaustion.

_Please. Please. Don't take him away from me._

A/N2: On a completely unrelated and little happier note, when I found this quote on Pinterest, I thought of Nine: **I just want you to be happy. And naked. **:)


	5. Nine sucks at dying

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: End of Six's Arc! Yay! This should hopefully clean it up rather nicely. I'm not sure who to do next exactly. Maybe a little break with the Nine/Six tension? The updates are going to be a little slower sadly. Creative juices slowly dying on me. :( Thank you for reading and review, guys. Love ya!

Five Things: Six discovers about Nine

V. Nine sucks at dying

"What happened?" Six felt like she was submerged in water. Everything was muffled and she couldn't think. She felt like she was floating there, staring numbly at her bloodstained hands. The female voice sighed and Six could hear the sound of a chair scrapping against hardwood floors. Her body felt heavy and she didn't want to move. All she wanted to do was sit, sit and not think. "Come on Six, tell me what happened."

The hazel-eyed girl blinked and lifted her head, trying to focus on the clear voice and the unfamiliar yet familiar young woman in front of her. She possessed the Loric beauty. Her blonde hair was long and fell over her left shoulder. A pair of catty emerald eyes observed Six with a stern expression. She was around Nine's and John's age but held herself like she was much older. Something about her reminded Six of her old self, before finding John and the others. There was a coldness in her eyes from being alone for so long. The girl frowned and shook her head, getting up from her seat and walking around the oak table. She placed her cool hand on Six's knee. "I know you're shaken up but speaking will help, distract you. Seven and Four are doing everything they can to help Nine. Now, I need you to tell me what happened. Please."

Six nodded her head, taking a few calming breaths, refocusing at the task at hand. She was a Loric. She can do this. "We were in one of Sandor's safe houses, on our way to Paradise. Nine and Eight left to get some supplies. Even with our substances cubes, Nine likes to be prepared." Six narrated, remembering the calmness of the room where she and Marina chatted about random things. Her fingers played with the sleeves of her oversized flannel shirt, one of John's, she noted. "Marina, John, Ella and I were getting ready, trying to plan out how to sneak into Paradise. John is a hot figure there." Five nodded her head, listening intently. "Everything was still packed if we needed to leave quickly. That's when they attacked." Six's hazel eyes squeezed shut like she was trying to block out the memory.

"Come on, Six." Five whispered, encouragingly, squeezing Six's knee reassuringly.

"It happened so fast. One moment, it was calm, too calm. The next… they shattered our windows, kicked the door down and came charging in with their guns. I acted on instinct and grabbed Ella, turning both of us invisible. John released a fireball to our gas stove, creating an explosion and a huge fire. The whole house was engulfed in flames when Eight and Nine barraged in to help. The close quarters didn't help with fighting, especially Nine. He couldn't move as well but he could kill. Something distracted him for one second which gave the Mog just enough time to dig its dagger into his gut. He got his revenge and I pulled him out in time to disappear. We ran for the woods."

"Drink." Six looked up as Eight set a cold class of water in front of her. Eight stood there in a plain button-up shirt and jeans. He had only a few scratches on his handsome face. Eight quickly took charge of the group when he realized Nine was gravely wounded. With the help of Five's sudden appearance, Eight was able to get everyone out safely. He stood beside Six, squeezing her shoulder as he picked up on what happened on his side. "When I reached the house, I grabbed Marina and John before teleporting out. Five found us just as Ella started communicating with Marina and guided us to you." Five nodded her head, getting up from her crouch and running her fingers through her fine hair.

"Yeah, you're lucky I was driving that way." Five commented as she walked through her modest living room, looking down at the sleeping Ella on the couch. The girl was exhausted for the ordeal. Five's home was just outside of Paradise. She's been living there for a few weeks, already familiar with the town. "I'm going to do one more perimeter check." She announced, grabbing her dark jacket and shrugged it over her green t-shirt.

"I'll come." Eight offered, moving towards the door. Five stopped him, placing her hand on his shoulder and flashed him a teasing smile.

"Slow your roll, hotshot. I think you had enough excitement tonight. I can handle a little perimeter check on my own." Five's eyes locked with Eight's before flickering over to Six. He got the message and backed up, nodding. She pulled out a pair of thin throwing knives which had an unearth glow. They watched as she exited through the back door and waited for it the slam shut.

"So that's Five." Eight said as Six numbly nodded her head, playing with the glass of water. The house was barely furnished with only the essentials. Everything felt temporary and impersonal unlike Nine's memory-filled penthouse. The only personal things Six could see were Five's Chest and a framed photograph beside it. The photo was of an older gentleman with his hands on a younger Five's shoulder. He looked proud as they both smiled at the camera, a perfect image of happier times. "Hey, Six, look at me." Six ignored him, looking at the bloody handprints on the clear glass.

"This is my fault, Eight." She said absentmindedly, lost in her own thoughts. "I should have been faster. I should have fought with him instead of hide in plain sight. I should have – "

"Don't, Six. Don't go down that path." Eight ordered, touching her hand and pulling her away. "Look at me." She listened, slowly looking up and focusing on his deep green eyes. "Now listen, this isn't your fault. He dove into the house. He knew what he was doing."

"Eight, he was stabbed in the stomach." She sobbed, feeling like everything was collapsing around her. "No one can survive that wound."

"Six," Eight said, grabbing her arms and shook her gently. "Nine isn't just anyone." Six could see how much fate Eight had in their friend, fate Six wished she had. "Come on, Six. This is Nine we're talking about. Cocky, sarcastic, gung-ho…"

"Idiotic," she continued, feeling a tiny smile pulling at her lips. "Pigheaded, impulsive." She slowly recalled random memories about Nine, the boy who still remembers his Cepan, who blushes over his secret Disney collection, who blindly dives into a burning house to save his friends. "Brave, sincere, caring."

"You know him the best, Six. Would he die?" Eight asked, meeting her slowly clearing eyes.

"No." Six whispered which was paired with a watery smile. "No, he wouldn't. Not without kissing me first." Eight chuckled and pulled Six into a warm hug. The girl clung to him, enjoying his comforting presence.

"Eight, Six…" The two Lorics looked up to see Marina walking out of the dark hallway. Her hair was loose from its braid and fell into her face. There was blood spattered all over her dress. Her hands were stained red. She looked exhausted as she stared at her friends with an emotionless expression. Six squeezed Eight's arm, bracing for the worse. "He's fine, awake and coherent. We managed to close his wound and any internal bleeding. He had a blood transfusion but he'll be running up walls after a little rest." Six felt her knees buckle underneath her and Eight held her up. Nine was fine. He was alive.

"Thank you, thank you Marina." Six whispered as the girl approached them. She pulled her friend into a tight hug.

"Just doing my job," Marina replied, returning the hug in equal force. "He would like to see you." Six nodded her head and walked towards the room. Her sharp hearing caught a bit of Marina and Eight's conversations. "Thank goodness he's alive." The Spanish-raised girl whispered as she collapsed into the boy's arms.

"Thanks for the blood, Johnny." Six paused just outside of the room, listening to his distinct voice. He sounded good, normal like he didn't just have a brush with death. Through the tiny crack, she could see Nine sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling a tube out of his arm. She could hear John moving around the room. John placed his hand over the small puncture wound at his elbow. His hand glowed blue as the wound quietly disappeared. "Man, I need to learn that trick."

John chuckled and walked over, placing his hand on Nine's elbow and repeating the process. "It's a fun parlor trick." John admitted, trading smiles with his friend. "We almost lost you, Nine." John said in a grave tone. Nine's smile didn't falter, meeting John's gaze before standing up and grabbing his t-shirt.

"Yeah, and you guys would be lost without me." Nine replied easily, pulling his t-shirt on.

"You're so full of yourself!" Six shouted, shoving the door open, surprising both guys. John jumped out of the way as Six charged right up to the boy. Nine schooled his expression into a smug one as Six glared up at him. "You are a self-centered, immature, perverted brat who has no idea how much trouble you've caused everyone." She jabbed Nine's chest, puncturing each word. The boy's grin grew even larger if possible which successfully infuriated Six even more.

"Six, Six." John wrapped his arm around her slender waist, physically pulling her away from the boy. She stared at John, remembering his presence. "Calm down, you might poke a hole in him." He added with a boyish smile, a smile Six hasn't seen in a long time, and gradually released her. Six felt instantly cold. "Now, please don't kill him. Neither Marina nor I have enough energy to heal him again." Six shook her head and watched John as he left the room.

"Why don't you ever look at me like that?" _What look? _Six wanted to say as she looked at the boy who was sitting on the edge of the bed, smoothing his shirt down. He smiled fondly at her as he sank down in the bed, running his hand through his messy hair. "I might get jealous." He winked before closing his eyes. Six stared at him, not sure what to say to the boy, before sitting on the edge, ignoring the blood on the floor. She waited for him to speak, feeling his leg against her back, content with knowing Nine was alive.

"I don't understand you, Nine." She confessed, thinking he was asleep by the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"Yes you do, Six. You know me maybe better than I know myself." Nine replied, his eyes still closed. "You just don't know it."

"I know you hate early mornings." Six started, running through every memory she had of the boy in front of her. "But you will wake up for your insane workout without hesitating. I know you could care less about hygiene but you remember your Cepan clearly. You're ferociously protective of us even if you suck at showing it. You don't care what happens to yourself as long as we're all safe." Six waited half a second, wondering if she should add the last one. "You suck at read body language."

"I disagree with that last one." Six gasped when she felt Nine's hand against the small of her back. He sat up quickly so his face was inches away from hers. Six could feel his breath, warm and alive, against her cheek. There was life in his bright onyx eyes with a tinge of mischief. His kissable lips curled into a knowing smile, the one Six hates to admit she loves. "I am an expert at reading body language." His finger brushed a piece of her hair out of his face, caressing her cheek with the back of his finger. Her breath hitched involuntarily. She could hear her rapid heartbeat in her ears, roaring like a swift river. _It's the adrenaline. Not because of Nine. _She lied to herself as the boy shifted an inch closer, whispering into her ear. "Like how right now, you're thinking about keeping your promise." Six's hazel eyes widen and Nine's smirk grew, leaning in just inches away from her lips.

"Wait," Six panted, feeling dizzy and warm. She placed her hands on his chest. She turned away, blushing brightly. Nine let out a throaty laugh, the type that shook his whole body. It was like all the tension left the air as he laughed. He pulled her close, getting a squeak out of the girl, and buried his face into the crook of her neck. The blush on her face grew as she smelled his subtle scent and returned his hug, equally tight.

"Ok, maybe I do suck at reading body language." He laughed, still holding her close. Six rested her cheek against his temple, shaking her head. She loved how she fit in his arms.

"No…" Six whispered, sounding breathless. "I thought of one more thing." Nine hummed against her skin, sending shivers down her spine. She leaned down, cradling his cheek. Her thumb traced his chin, almost touching his lips. Nine gave her a piercing heady look. "You suck at dying." Nine chuckled and hugged her close.

"I'll take that." He snickered as he buried his head back into her neck.


	6. Eight isn't really funny

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: And the next pov… *drum roll* FIVE! I wanted to establish my version of Five before Fall of Five is released. I really hope you like my version of her. She's a blank canvas and it's really refreshing. I promise there will be a Nine version of Five Things later on. Thanks for reading and review guys!

Five Things: Five learned about her allies

I. Eight isn't really funny

"What did you do to my kitchen?" Five demanded as she stood there, an iPod headphone dangling from one ear. Eight smiled brightly at her as he quickly mopped up a lumpy mess of – what the girl suspected – pancake batter. Her usually organized kitchen looked like a war zone and Eight was not winning. There was batter all over the kitchen in places where batter should not be like the window over the sink and the upper cupboards. A few cracked egg shells littered the hardwood floors and egg goo seeped into the rugs. A floury handprint was smeared over the kitchen table and refrigerator door handle.

"Making breakfast!" He cheerfully answered, holding up his ladle and successfully flinging a bit of pancake batter towards the girl. Five quickly dodged it and frowned when it made a splat when it hit the floor. "Oops. I'll clean that up later." She sighed, danced around the egg shells and opened the refrigerator. It was jam packed with food, food she knew she didn't buy. "You were low on food, so I went shopping."

"I've noticed…" she replied flatly, pushing aside some fresh fruits and grabbed a protein shake. A bitter smell wafted into her nose. "Your pancake's burning." She pointed out as she leaned against counter. The boy yelped and quickly attacked the sticky mess with his spatula. She watched him struggle for a few seconds as he flailed around helplessly. "And you wonder why my fridge was empty." She muttered, moving around him and grabbing a thick novel from her side table. The girl breathed in the morning air, stretching as the sun kissed her face.

Five moaned as her back popped. She wasn't accustomed to waking up so early. Her quiet house seemed noisy the last few nights with so many bodies in it. Now the ferociously independent girl had seven somebodies to keep safe. _No problem, _Five thought as she set her book down and stretched her arms. Curious if her kitchen was still standing, she peeked through the window. John just entered, yawning and combing his fingers through his shaggy hair. Five grabbed one of her legs for a stretch, watching the scene unfold in front of her. _No problem, unless someone poisons us first._

John quickly saved the day as he rescued the burning mess from Eight's incompetent hands. He seemed to know what he was doing as he cleaned out the pan. His head was turned away as he stood by the sink, revealing his strong neck. Five's eyes seemed to be drawn to his Adam's apple as it bobbed up and down as he spoke to Eight. The taller boy just shrugged his shoulders, saying something back with a nonchalant air. John shook his head and turned back to focus on the sink. He finally noticed the girl outside, giving her an unintentionally piercing gaze. John had strong blue eyes which seemed to just naturally draw people in. Five quickly turned away, trying to ignore the feel of his eyes on her lithe form. _Really smooth, Five. _She chastised herself as she slipped her headphone on, listening to the trendy music blasting in her ear as she started her morning jog.

Five bobbed her head with the beat of the music, trying to bury the feel of John's lingering looks. She wasn't worried about tripping. Her telekinesis easily mapped the world in front of her and she was most likely the strongest thing in the woods. Her throwing knives were tucked in a thigh holster, securely strapped and hidden underneath her shorts. Forcing her body to run at a human pace, her mind wandered freely.

Five wasn't sure what to make out of her new companions. They were all over the place during the chaos. But, Five knew how she felt about Eight. The boy was the most open in the group. Overtly cheerfully and friendly, Five felt like he was a bit dim. Despite that, he was reliable when needed, something she noted when they found a fatally wounded Nine. There was just something off about his smile which made Five wonder. He was hiding something behind his cheerfulness.

_We all have secrets. It doesn't mean you need to pry them open. _Five smiled to herself, remembering her Cepan's words of wisdom. Five opened her eyes and glanced around, noticing she was on her usual trails, the one which lead to the clear crystal lake. Satisfied she was alone, Five continued her pace and reached up to touch a strand of her long blonde hair. Twisting the golden locks in her fingers, it slowly changed into an inky black. Five smiled at her handiwork, confident her whole head was now a midnight black. Touching her arm, her lightly tanned skin darkened. The girl closed her eyes, focusing on the image in her head as she touched various parts of her face. _Eyes shaped like almonds with a pair of deep brown irises, full lips usually curled into a sly smile, high cheekbones. _Five stopped running, panting as she stood at the edge of the lake.

Five stared down at the water, smiling at her new reflection. The girl in lake wasn't a blonde-haired athletic goddess. She was a few inches shorter than Five with dark black hair and a distinctly Asian face. Five crouched down, tracing her new features with her eyes. Her legacy was bastly different than the others. She hasn't told them about her appearance shift yet. It was the sole reason she was able to slip away from the Mogs and people so easily. With a twist her of skillful fingers, her whole appearance could change. _All but my eyes. _Five noted, splashing the water when a pair of unique emerald eyes matched her gaze. The girl sat down and placed her hand over her forehead, erasing the features from her face. She stared at her original reflection with mixed feelings.

Five was never self-conscious of her appearance. She was always pretty by someone's standards. That was what everyone said when they first meet her, no matter what image she wore. _I love your hair. Where do you buy your clothes? I want your figure so badly. You're so pretty. _Five scowled at the imaginary compliments and threw a burst of telekinesis at the water, distorting the image. She bit her thumb, looking away as thoughts churned in her head. _Pretty can't kill Mogs. Pretty can't protect the ones you love. Pretty can only take you so far. _Five thought bitterly, sighing in frustration as she ran her fingers through her golden hair.

_Why did Lorien give me this useless Legacy? _She wondered, twisting a piece of her hair and flickered through the various shades. Black, dark brown, light brown, amber… She paused at amber, a few shade darker than Ella's auburn hair, and fiddled with the strand. _I wonder what Ella would look like a bit older. _The idea settled in her mind and the shift happened almost seamlessly Five barely felt them. Curiosity got the better of her as she leaned over the edge, staring at her reflection. The girl in the water smiled tentatively. Five twirled her new auburn hair and turned her head. The girl in the water seemed innocent and bright, unaffected by the horrors of their lives. Five sadly studied the reflection, hoping the young girl could one day look like this.

"I'm being silly." Five muttered and snapped her fingers, watching as the image faded away, leaving only her. She gazed at the water for a few seconds, thinking. "God, maybe I have a vanity problem and Lorien is punishing me." She mused out loud and chuckled, pushing herself up and running back home.

Five hummed to herself as she grabbed her protein shake, mindlessly opening the door before stopping. "What the heck…" She muttered, not sure what to make out of the scene in front of her. Eight had two bananas sticking out of his mouth like a pair of tusks. He was play attacking Ella as the young girl clung to her friend. Marina and Ella were laughing their heads off at the boy's antics. Six and Nine sat on the island, smiling into their coffee. John stood by the stove with an apron on, flipping pancakes and chuckling with Bernie wagging his tail right beside him. _My roommates are insane. _Five concluded when Eight turned to her.

"Hey Five!" Eight greeted, biting his 'tusks' and somehow getting banana on his shirts as they fell to the floor. "Damn it." He swore as he kneeled down to clean up another mess. Ella and Marina laughed even harder as Five walked around the mess. Somehow, her kitchen was clean, maybe cleaner than before. "Do you want some pancakes?" He asked brightly as he gestured towards the plate of perfectly formed pancakes with various cut fruits on the side.

"There is no way in hell you made these." Five replied, taking a plate and sliding into the seat beside Nine. Eight looked hurt as Nine burst out laughing. Five smiled at him as she unscrewed her drink and took another gulp.

"She's a smart one." The previously injured boy chuckled as he slid over some maple syrup before continuing his conversation with Six. His hand was causally draped on the back of her chair as he sat a bit closer to the girl than usual. They were both looking at his laptop with a map of the world. Various areas were highlighted with tiny captions.

"How was your morning jog?" John asked as he walked by, squeezing behind the girl to grab something from the fridge. Five shrugged her shoulders, eying the pancakes. "What's wrong?" He asked, placing his hand on the back of her stool. Five tried not to jump at the feel on his fingers against her back. She flashed him a smile as she popped a strawberry into her mouth.

"You didn't witness the disaster that was Eight cooking." John returned the grin and walked back to the stove.

"Hey!" Eight shouted as he stood up from the kitchen table.

"True," John replied as he cracked a few eggs into a hot pan. "But I did have to clean up his mess."

"Don't gang up on me!" Eight whined as he inserted himself before Nine and Five. He leaned in, invading the girl's space. "I'm not that bad at cooking."

"My kitchen looked like a hurricane blew through. I'm allowed to be wary." Five fired back, matching Eight's gaze. The boy rolled his green eyes and plucked a blueberry off of her plate.

"Don't worry, Five." John reassured as he set another plate of pancakes in front of Nine and slide some scramble eggs onto her plate. "I threw out his batter and made a new one." _A guy who can cook, sexy. _Five thought before realizing it. John leaned in with a conspirator look in his blue eyes. "You would think living alone he would learn how to cook."

"I resent that comment." Eight replied, poking John's shoulder as Five leaned forward. "I lived on a mountain. It's not like I can be Martha Stewart like someone." Eight stared pointedly at John who smiled back brightly. _He has a cute smile. _Five thought before mentally shaking her head. _God, something is wrong with me._

"Yes but we expected a bit of common sense." Five replied back, saving John and picking up her plate. Eight moved back as she pushed her seat out. She leaned in close, invading his space. "Sorry if our expectations were too high." Eight rolled his green eyes and allowed the girl to head to the door. "Thanks for the breakfast, Johnny." She thanked before stepping on to her porch. She sat down on her swing bench, setting her plate down beside her book. Something about Eight just rubbed her the wrong way. It was like he could read her with just a look. Shaking the feeling off, Five opened her book, disappearing into a world where Mogs can't get her.

"Five?" The gilt felt a light touch on her shoulder and her body quickly switched into survival mode. The girl hopped off her bench, dropping her book and pulling her attacker toward her, over the side of the bench. She kneed the man in the gut and twisted his arm painfully so he was trapped between the wooden railing and her body. During the chaos, she slipped one of her thin knives out and held it against his back threateningly. "ARG! Five, it's Eight!" Five gasped and pushed him away, unintentionally shoving the young man over the railing. He flipped before landing painfully on his bottom. "OW! God, what is it? Bully Eight day?" He shouted, glaring at her.

Five's heart was racing as she stared down at Eight, processing what just happened. She was so engrossed with her novel; she didn't even notice him sneaking up on her. "I'm so sorry, Eight." She apologized, heading down to help him. "You startled me." She offered her hand which he took. An easy smile already present on his face.

"You're not used to having so many people." Five didn't comment as she let go of his arm and turning around to enter the house. "Five, don't push us away." The girl paused at his comment.

"I'm not pushing anyone away." The lie was so obviously she wondered why she even said it. Her fingers played with the door knob, resisting the urge to run into the house and into her room. She twisted a strand of her hair instead.

"Hey come on, Five. We can help." Eight continued, taking slow steps towards her. "We know what you're going through."

Five chuckled darkly, shaking her head, despising his caring tone. "I don't need group therapy, Eight. Trust me; you do not want to know what's going on in my head." She dismissed him and turned the knob, ready to end the conversation. But Eight was persistent, reaching out and wrapping his fingers around her wrist.

Five froze, feeling a jolt between them before something powerful came crashing down on her. For a fleet moment, various scenes flashed in front of her eyes. _A man with a bright cheerful smile grinned at a very pretty woman. The woman placed her hand on his leg. They were talking about a hiking trip. __**I don't trust her. **_Another scene zipped by. _A different man, much older, smiled down at me with a piece of lettuce. I felt safe and kind. _A different scene replaced it. _The old man was talking to me. Instructing me how to move and fight, how to control my legacies. Before he left. __**They always leave. **_Five closed her eyes, trying to push the images away but one more invade her mind. _Commander Sharma had found them. But I couldn't be sure. I want to be so sure. Please. Let me find my friends. The woods parted and a quartet entered the lake. A beautiful girl with dark hair lead the path. __**She's beautiful.**_

Five pushed her telekinesis towards Eight, breaking the contact as Eight flew across the field. He twisted himself in the air, landing on his feet with confusion in his eyes. Five leaned against the door frame, clenching her shirt as she reeled back from the jarring experience. Her eyes were wide as she tried to process what just happened. "Five?" The boy asked, noticing her scared expression.

_What…? What in Lorien is going on with me? What gift did you bestow on me now? _The girl thought as she let out a nervous chuckle. Her life just got a lot more complicated. "Oh Eight, you really don't want to know what's going on in my head." She laughed, slumping against the door frame, exhausted by her experience.


	7. Seven is a natural listener

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: Hey guys, this one is ridiculously long. I didn't expect it to be this long but it was really fun to write once I got it down and revised it. I'm really glad you like my version of Five. Since her Legacies are so different than the others, I hope you can understand how insecure she is about it. I'm starting to love her to bits. She's a lot of fun to write. Read and review as always please!

Five Things: Five learned about her allies

II. Seven is a natural listener (Ten is an artist)

"Aargh! This is useless." Five declared as she tugged at her long hair and shoved the dog-eared notebook away. The book made a soft thump as it hit the covers of her large bed. She flopped down, staring at the white ceiling, wondering if she was being silly with the endless research. Scattered across her large bed was an assortment of items from her Chest. Five barely touched the contents, only things she knew for certain. Her signature Lorien knife was tucked into her thigh holster. It was a special knife which can transform into a sword, throwing daggers or whatever she needs. The other item she used frequently was the tattered notebook her Cepan left. Groaning, Five lifted her hand, willing the leather bound book back into her hands.

Rowan was a meticulous note taker. He would have little footnotes on almost every page of his notebook like the lines wasn't enough for his eccentric ideas. He was a researcher on Lorien before being assigned as a Garde Cepan. He was older than the majority of the Garde Cepan. Something he would boast about to Five often. "Do you know why I was assigned to you? Because I have experience." Five would often roll her eyes and ignore him. She used to hate him for their long winded lessons about Lorien history and language. "This is your heritage, girl! Learn and respect it." He used to yell at her and slammed his ruler against her desk.

His notebook was a jumble mess. Various disconnecting ideas were scattered across the pages. It was like playing connect the dots but with no real idea where to start and where it ended. There was a mix of Loric and English. Various diagrams and graphs divided the blocks of writing. There were also a few random symbols Five have never seen. Right now, Five wasn't trying to understand the words. She just wanted to look at the deceased man's neat writing.

She missed him, something Five hated to admit. Rowan was a hard ass but he always had her best interest at heart. He rarely showed any emotions but she always knew when he was proud of her. His snow white mustache would wiggle a certain way whenever he tried to hide his smile. "You're a smart girl, Five. Don't hide it." He would always tell her, squeezing her shoulders and grinned at her achievement. It was like he won the lottery or something. Five smiled at the memory and paid attention to the words.

Rowan's notebook contained everything he worked on. He was a Legacy researcher, working on cataloging every since known Legacy. Five could recall when she was younger, watching Rowan word tirelessly on his notebook. He would mutter to himself as he sipped his tea and stroke his mustache or scratch his head. At times, he looked like a mad scientist without the lab coat and monster. _Though, I could be his monster. _Five thought, remembering how Rowan would take notes about her growth and development. She thumbed through the pages, feeling a noticeable grove in between the sheets. It was the entry Rowan worked on the hardest, pondering if his theories were right or not.

_Many researchers believe the Legacies are bestowed on our Gardes randomly but I disagree. There has to be a pattern, a reason why certain Lorics were born with certain set of gifts. There are instances where Gardes have the same set of Legacies with little deviation. For examples, healers all are paired with a defensive legacy. I believe it's to naturally balance out their weakness in fighting, giving them a natural way to escape or protect themselves. Shift – _the second part of Rowan's writing was smudged, unreadable. Five shook her head, not sure what to make out of the unfinished passage. It felt like Rowan was trying to tell her something but his thoughts would trail off. Despite her relentless studying of the text, she couldn't find anything about her memory touch legacy. Nothing even close. _There's a reason why Lorien gave you such a wacky Legacy beside torturing you, Five. _

"Five?" A soft knock on the door woke the girl up from her musing. Five turned her head, looking at the wooden door. "It's Marina, can I come in?" Five sat up slowly, brushing her hair out of her face and opened the door with her telekinesis. Marina entered with an easy smile, glancing around Five's room curiously.

"Hey," Five greeted, tossing a few things into her Chest. "What's up, girlie?" Marina rolled her dark eyes at the nickname. Marina was the only girl out of the four who would willingly wear a dress. The short pale yellow dress looked lovely against her dark skin and accented her natural curves nicely. Her hair was pinned up neatly with a few strands falling out, framing her pretty face. She looked worried as she peeked around. She turned, focusing her dark eyes on Five's face like she was searching for something.

"Just wondering if you're ok," she said before looking around. Five's room wasn't overly decorated. She actually lived out of her suitcase which was opened on the desk. Various shirts and pants lay in a pile, unfolded and spilling out. A small jewelry box sat in the middle with a few trinkets Five collected over the years. An e-reader sat beside the mess, untouched for a while. "You read?" Marina asked, picking up the thin tablet.

"Yeah, it's a nice distraction." Five replied, twisting a strand of her blonde hair. She was always amazed by how put together Marina seemed to be. The Spanish-raised girl was always so calm and composed, unfazed by her companions' strand antics. She had a motherly mature aura which was refreshing but not overbearing.

"That's why I sketch." Five didn't know that about Marina. The girl seemed to avoid sharing little details. But Five didn't really know any of them well enough. The blonde looked at her hands, rolling the idea in her mind. "You've been avoiding everyone." Five's eyes jumped to Marina, surprised by the bluntness of Marina's statement. An encouraging smile graced the older girl's lips. "Especially Eight. Are things ok?"

Five hesitated. She wanted to confess everything to Marina right now. The girl looked she would just listen and allow her to spill her guts. But Five instinctively pulled back, pushing the urge away and revert to her normal avoiding self. "Just peachy. Things are just a little crazy. You can imagine." Marina nodded her head understandingly. "Eight's cheeriness was starting to grind on me. Can't blame a girl." She added with a wink as Marina chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Ah, Eight can be a bit pushy but he just wants to include you. I'll tell him to tone down." Marina replied as she stood up, patting Five's knee.

"Oh, don't bother." Five waved off. "I'll just punch him next time." Marina giggled at the idea before shaking her head. She smiled at the blonde before looking at the object in Five's hand. Fascinated by the book, Marina reached out without thinking. Five jerked back quickly, cradling the book against her chest. Marina jumped back, surprised by Five's speed.

"I'm sorry." Marina apologized as Five rapidly blinked, slowly realizing what she did.

"No, no. I'm the one who should be sorry." Five blushed as she stood up, gingerly handing the book toward Marina. The girl held it with such care, opening it to reveal the faded writing and various unreadable diagrams. "It's Loric and a mix of English. My Cepan taught me how to read and write before he…" Five swallowed the knot in her throat. "It's the only thing I have left from him."

"I'm jealous," Marina confessed as she gently caressed the words. "My Cepan never left anything like this for me. She was an amazing woman. Maybe a little misguided at moments but amazing nonetheless." Marina mused before handing the book back. "You're allowed to be a little protective of your things. Especially something precious like that."

Five nodded her head, hugging the book to her chest before unlocking her Chest. "Where's everyone else?" She asked as she moved things around. The house was quiet which was unnerving to the blonde.

"Six took Nine and Eight to Sam's house to check out the ruins." Marina answered, wandering back to Five's suitcase. The girl had a vast collection of clothes she rarely wore. She had a weakness for pretty things. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"If you're wondering about that bracelet you're holding, you can have it. It matches your eyes better than mine." Five replied, setting Rowan's notebook carefully into the Chest and locked it safely. Marina flushed, placing said bracelet down and fiddled with a strand of her hair. "But something tells me that's what the favor you wanted to ask."

"No, it's a little embarrassing." Marina confessed. Five waited patiently, a little entertained by Marina's nervousness. "I need a ride to the grocery store." She whispered, closing her eyes.

Five blinked for a full second before tilting her head back, letting out a full body laugh which shook her whole body. Marina's eyes were wide with confusion before joining in with the girl. They traded grins as Five wiped a bit of water from the edge of her eyes. "Jeez Mar, we need to teach you how to drive."

"I know but we never had time." Marina laughed as she led the girl down the creaky stairs. "Hey John." She greeted. The blond boy waved his hand from his spot in the living room. Five leaned against the couch where Ella sat; watching as John idly threw one of his Macrocosm balls up and down. The rest of the solar system hovered around; lazily rotating around the ball John was tossing. "What are you doing?" She asked as she opened the refrigerator to take note on what they needed.

"He's obviously contemplating the meaning of life." Five answered for him as she vaulted over the couch and landed softly beside Ella. She pulled the younger girl beside her, ruffling her hair and giving her a tight hug. Ella's giggle bounced around the silent house. "Am I wrong, John?" Five asked, tucking her head on Ella's shoulder. John shook his head, dismissing the girl and continued tossing the ball up and down. Five haven't seen her Macrocosm in a while, keeping it safely tucked away in her Chest. It was always a painful reminder of Rowan. He loved lecturing with the orbiting spheres.

"I was just wonder how much long until I go insane." John muttered, lying back down and focused on the ball. Bernie pattered over to Five, placing his furry head inches away from her bare feet. His long tail thumped against the hardwood floor, carrying a rubber ball in his mouth. Five reached out, running her fingers over his soft head. The dog instinctively leaned in. "I've been stuck in here forever."

"Well, it's not my fault your face is still on the top of FBI's most wanted list." Five countered, running her fingers through Ella's hair. She was still watching John though, gauging his reaction. He was different than the other guys. John was a little bit shorter than Eight and Nine but only by a few inches. His arms were well defined, apparent from the short sleeves of his tight t-shirt. His blond hair stuck out from the masses of dark haired Lorics. It was naturally messy and in desperate need for a haircut. Five's fingers were itching to reach out and run through his messy locks.

"I'm sorry I can't change my face." John replied sarcastically, tossing the ball up with a little more force than necessary. The words lingered in the air unnaturally and the others noticed the pregnant pause. Ella turned her head to look at the girl. Marina closed the door of the refrigerator, studying the silent girl. John sat up, worried evident in his blue eyes. Five just blinked, not sure what to say. His offhand comment seemed to hit her harder than it should. "Um… we all can't be stunning beauties like someone." He complimented, waiting for a reaction, any reaction from the girl. Five was a naturally a spitfire but right now she seemed almost docile. Marina walked over and gently touching the girl. Five jumped and turned, giving Marina a tentative smile. "No curd comment?" John asked, eying the girl nervously.

"And why would I do that?" Five replied shakily, gently pushing Ella back into her spot and ran her fingers through her hair. She stood up, tugging her top down and flashed him an unconvincing smile. "I know how to take a compliment, Four. I'll be in the car." She whispered the last part to Marina before grabbing her keys and flip flops and walking through the door. Before it slammed shut, John's words floated into her ears.

"What did I do?"

_What did he do? _Five repeated as she walked down the gravel road. She pressed the button on her keys which chirped and unlocked her huge SUV. She leaned against the warm car, hugging herself and pondered what exactly happened. Her short nails dug into the sides and she bit her tongue. It wasn't like John knowingly attacked her Legacy. It was just a passing comment, something they said to each other as a joke. Then why did it hit her so hard? Why did she take it so personally? Why did it feel like he was pointing out how useless her Legacy was? "You're being ridiculous, Five." She chastised herself, running her fingers through her hair.

"Isn't talking to yourself the first sign of insanity?" Five looked up as Marina walked down the stairs, tucking a list into her pockets. A small smile tugged at her full lips as she tried to lighten the mood. Five chuckled at herself as she slid into the car, waiting for her companion.

"No, it's inanimate objects first and then yourself." Five replied, turning the key and slowly reversing onto the main road. The drive was quiet as Five braced herself for a barrage of questions. But Marina seemed content with sitting there, studying her grocery list. Her lips moved as she silently read each word, committing each one to memory. The quietness was driving Five insane. She was never good with it, always preferring the distracting noise of music to control her thoughts. "Aren't you going to ask me what happened?"

"Do you want to talk about it?" Marina asked as she twirled a strand of her dark hair. Five rolled the idea around in her head. Yes, she did want to talk about it. Ever since Rowan died and her Legacies started to develop, she wanted a confidante. And now that she had someone who was willing to listen, she wasn't sure where to start. How do you tell someone you can change you face and steal memories? _Not all at once obviously. _Five thought before slowing the car down and pulling to the edge. Marina looked up, surprised. "Five?"

"Marina, can you promise me you won't freak out?" Five asked, turning in her seat to face her friend. Marina's eyebrows creased but she nodded her head. A serious expression crossed her face as she waited. Five nodded her head and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and focused on a mental image of their invisible friend. _Midnight black hair that falls just past her shoulders, high cheekbones, sun-kissed skin. _A soft gasped escaped Marina's lips but Five was too engrossed to notice. _A confident smile that rarely showed any fear. Sharp eyes that are both cunning and kind. _Five opened her eyes and looked at Marina's shocked face. She turned to flip down her visor, her mouth opening in shock. A perfect replica of Six sat in the driver seat, everything but the green eyes.

"Whoa…" Marina muttered, reaching out to touch her but stopped herself. "You're a shifter." There was that word again. Five found various entries in Rowan's notebook but nothing concrete. She only nodded her head, nervously combing her fingers through her new shoulder length black hair. "That's amazing." A sarcastic laugh left Five's mouth, sounding a lot like Six's. Five's eyes widen as she noticed her voice changed slightly before she quickly forced the image away, leaving only herself. She didn't feel amazing.

"Now you're being silly." Five replied, pulling away from the side and continued their trip to the local market. "Healing is much more useful. You can save lives. You have saved lives." The girl blushed at the compliment as Five pulled onto the main street of Paradise. A few high school students she recognized waved at her which she returned. A huge banner hung over the street lamps, reminding everyone about the fair fundraiser for the high school rebuilding project. _Hmm… _Five thought, recalling John's complaint about boredom.

"Five, you can do something. You just need to find out what it is, how far you can take your legacy. Shifters…" Marina hummed as she cradled her chin in her hand. Five smiled at the girl's thoughtful expression before turning into the parking lot. "Oh!" Her chocolate brown eyes lit up and she reached out. "Five," she said just as the girl pulled into a parking space. Her fingers touched Five's arm. The memory rush wasn't as strong as it was with Eight. It was like a soft blanket engulfed the blonde, covering her eyes and pulling her into Marina's memory.

_They were sitting by a river with rich forest surrounding them. The smell of dirt and nature invaded my noise. The babble of the waterfall as it hit the water, tried to calm my nerves. I idly spun my pendant around in my fingers, watching the scene in front of me. Six and Eight were talking on the other side of the river bank, lost in their conversation. Six was telling a story. I knew by the way she waved her hands around, trying to get her point across. Eight probably wasn't getting it but a ridiculous happy smile tugged at his full lips. They had sparred earlier. I could tell by the state of their clothes. Eight's shirt was clinging to his sweaty form and Six's dyed blonde hair was loose, falling into her hazel eyes. Eight reached out, tucking the piece of hair gently behind her ear. They were close, closer than friends would usually sit. __**I wanted to be Six. I want to be the girl who sat beside Eight, talking and laughing like they've been friends forever. **__Six shoved his hand away, laughing at whatever sappy comment he made while he was touching her hair. Their knees bumped together and they laughed again before Six looked over to me. She waved me over and I tentatively waved back. Jealousy bubbled in my stomach. __**I want to be Six.**_

"Five," the girl pulled herself out of the memory and blinked, looking at Marina. There was a brightness in her eyes that was so different than the sadness and bitterness from the memory. Five focused on the happiness in Marina right now. "Have you ever tried changing someone else's image?" The blonde blinked, not sure what to make of the idea. "I mean, Six can change others invisible if they're in contact with her. So in theory, if you touched someone, you could change their appearance." It was crazy. It was brilliant. Marina smiled bright, squeezing Five's fingers. "You were given this gift for a reason, Five. Just remember that." Five nodded her head and followed Marina out of the car.

"Why do we need cream cheese?" Five asked as she picked up the brown paper bags, finally noticing the things Marina bought. "Unless we have some bagels, I don't see why we need cream cheese." Five pointed out, balancing the things on her hip. Marina just gave the girl a knowing smile but didn't answer. "Mar, I don't like that smile. It means something I'm not going to like. Hey!" Five paused, smelling the air as a sweet aroma wafted through. Her emerald eyes widen. "Oh god, someone's baking."

"Oh god?" Marina echoed, turning around and walking backwards to look at her friend. She chuckled at the comical look of horror which crossed Five's beautiful face. "Why did you say 'oh god'? Shouldn't it be good?"

I just had a mental flashback of Eight cooking. My poor kitchen." Five groaned, frowning as she hugged her bags closer. "It might be on fire. Oh please."

"Hey! You're really not going to let that go." Marina and Five both looked up to see freshly showered Eight on the porch. He was shirtless with a pair of low jeans hugging his narrow hips. Random drops of water fell from his matted hair, tracing his well defined bare chest. A towel hung from his long neck as he smiled at the girls, half glaring at Five. Marina stopped in her track, looking at the boy with wide innocent eyes.

Five smirked at the girl's reaction, leaning in close to whispering into her ear. Eight was oblivious of the healer's ogling as he toweled his hair dry. "That's one way to shut Marina up." Marina's face flushed red and Five laugh, throwing her head back and dodged Marina's swift kick. She ran up the steps and stopped where Eight was leaning. "You're lucky I don't have neighbors. This would be public indecency." Eight rolled his eyes and leaned in so their eyes were level. Five noticed his eyes were the same shade as hers.

"Oh Five, I'll show you public indecency." He whispered seductively to her. Five tried her best not to laugh as her eyes locked with his before slowly looking behind her. Eight followed her gaze and let out an unmanly yelp as he noticed Marina. An icy look graced her attractive face as she walked up the steps. Eight quickly jumped away from Five, blocking Marina's path. "Mar, you know it was a joke. A joke." He explained as he tried to unfreeze her glare. Marina just shoved the paper bags into his arms which he quickly dropped. "Marina!" Five snickered and danced around the bickering couple as Eight wrapped his arms around Marina's waist, physically dragging her towards him.

"What are you laughing at?" Five spun around and smiled bright at John. The boy gave her a confused expression, not used to a beaming Five. He was pulling a tray of perfectly baked cupcakes out of the oven and setting them on the cooling rack. Ella sat on the barstool with a sketch pad in her hands. Five hopped on the barstool beside Ella, leaning on her palms as she watched the scene in unfold in front of her through the window. "It can't be good if you're that happy." John pointed out, eying the girl.

"Ha, ha. Be lucky you're not my source of entertainment. It must be wrong to take pleasure in Eight's misery." A snicker left John's mouth as he turned to watch Eight's panic expression. The usually smooth boy seemed like a nervous mess with Marina. His arms were holding her tight but Marina wasn't relenting, poking his chest as she spoke. There was fire in her brown eyes as she said something. Eight stuttered something to the girl which she rolled her eyes at and crossed her arms. "Where's Nine and Six?" Five asked as she started pulling things out of the bag. She frowned at the cream cheese and powder sugar but left them on the counter as she moved to the refrigerator.

"They're in one of your spare rooms." John replied absentmindedly as he pulled out a bowl. Five waited for him to elaborate and stopped her movements. A degusted expression crossed her face.

"Oh god," she breathed, quickly shoving the orange juice into the fridge and closing the door before leaning against it. She covered her eyes, shaking her head back and forth. "Oh god, please not my room."

"What? What?" John shouted as he rushed over to the girl. He looked at her like she was wounded somewhere. "What's wrong?" Five gave him a pointed look and then glanced at the ceiling. Realization crossed his face and John furiously shook his head. "No, no, no! God, no, Five! They're just working on some documents they found. They wouldn't do that. We could hear them…" John whispered the last part. The two blonde Lorics shared a look before falling silent, listening to the two Lorics upstairs. Only the muffled sound of Nine's voice and fingers tapping against a keyboard could be heard. John let out a sigh of relief before glaring as the blonde in front of him. "Five, get your mind out of the gutter."

"Oh please, we all can't be Saint John." She hissed back. "What did you expect me to think? There are six hormonal Lorics in very close quarters. Things could happen…" The two looked at Ella, hoping she didn't catch their innuendo. She was mindlessly sketching, unaware of the embarrassing conversation between the two seventeen year olds. John shook his head and turned back to his work. Five rolled her eyes and grabbed a glass of water, fanning her face with her left hand. Her face softened as she noticed what was happening outside.

It was a tender moment between the two. Eight had finally successfully calmed Marina down. His arms were wrapped securely around Marina, holding her close. He was whispering something in her ear, combing his fingers through her tangled hair. The girl melted into his arms, sighing contently. They looked like a perfect couple. "I wish I could have a relationship like that one day." Five whispered, twisting a piece of her blonde hair.

"First, you need to learn how to cook." John replied, knocking his knuckle against the girl's forehead. Five scowled at him, rubbing the spot he touched as she sipped her water. "I mean with your skills, I doubt any boy would want you."

"You ass –" Five yelped when John's warm hand wrapped around her wrist, tugging her forward. She closed her eyes, bracing for a memory to flood in but nothing happened. Her forehead hit John's shoulder and his warm scent invade her nose. The girl stared at the soft red fabric of John's t-shirt, listening to his breath against her ear. "Um…"

"If you're done inhaling my scent, come here." He tugged at her hand and offered a sweet smile. "I'll show you how to make frosting. Even you can't mess that up."

"Challenge accepted." The girl whispered back, pulling away and rubbing her wrist, wondering.

"ARG! I'm going to kill you, Smith!" Five shouted as she shook her head and glared at the boy. John laughed as Five stomped up the stairs to her room to change. Her blonde hair was peppered white from the powder sugar he dumped on her. Her black shirt was half white. She licked her lips, tasting the sweet substance on her lips. "I am going to get you." She swore as she opened her door, pulling her shirt off and grabbing a loose training shirt. She smiled at her reflection, noting a bit of frosting on her nose and the unusual blush on her cheeks. "God Five, control yourself. It's only John." She told her reflection, slapping her cheeks.

The girl chuckled and turned around, pausing as she noticed a large piece of paper on her Chest. Sitting on the bed, she pulled the drawing over. A huge smile tugged at her lips as she looked at the scene. It was a picture of her and John in the kitchen. A bowl of finished frosting sat on the side, ready to dress up the cupcakes. John and Five were on the other side, standing pretty close with another bowl in their hands. John's hand was tangled in Five's hair as he dumped some powder sugar into her golden locks. The Five in the sketch was smearing some frosting onto his shirt as he held her close. There was a smear of frosting on his cheek and her nose. They were laughing and smiling, deliriously happy.

"How? Ella." Five whispered, remembering how the little girl was sketching intently as they made the frosting. She kept on sneaking looks as them every few seconds. Five chuckled and was about to fold the picture up before pausing. At the bottom corner was Marina's loopy writing. Five bit her lower lip as she read the neat letters.

_It's okay to fall for him._


	8. Nine's a flirt but so is Five

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: Whoot! Half way done with Five. During this piece, I realized I like pairing Nine with just about anyone. There is a pretty charged air between Five and Nine that I totally didn't put intentionally. (Which is probably a lie because I think Nine is sexy as hell.) Five and Nine are just naturally flirty and put them together just equals more flirting. I may have accidently converted myself into a Five/Nine shipper. I hope you like it! Review please!

Five Things: Five learned about her allies

III. Nine's a flirt but so is Five

"Damn you, Sandor." Nine cursed as he viciously tapped various keys on his laptop. The screen was full of numbers and letters, flickering through a range of translations available for the documents Nine, Six and Eight found in the ruins. He scowled at the screen when an incoherent message was spitted out, confusing the Loric boy further. He growled and tugged at his neatly cropped hair, furious with his dead Cepan. "Why didn't you push me to learn Loric?" The translation program Sandor installed on Nine's personal laptop wasn't working as well as his Cepan guaranteed. "Sandor, you give yourself too much credit." He told the deceased man as he tilted his head back, resting it against the soft cushion of the couch he was sitting on.

The whole house was quiet. It was way past midnight and Nine was still working on various things for the group. He stared outside of Five's large windows, looking into the darkness of the summer night. It was eerie. Nine was used to the flashing nightlights of Chicago that rarely seemed to dim. The darkness gave a sense of nothing was out there and Nine didn't like the feeling. He looked away and glared at the words on the screen. Out of the Loric mess, Nine could only make out a few words. _Destination. Landing. Ship. Hope. _Nine read, focusing on Hope and pondered what they meant for their next step. _What are you trying to tell us?_

Nine was anxious. He hid it well from the others but he wanted to get out of Paradise. They were dangerously exposed in Five's modest home with little to no real protection. He wanted to be home, in his penthouse, looking over the skylines, where he had some sense of control. _Control. _Nine smirked at the word as he typed in another command. _What a concept. _In reality, he had little control. Every day was unpredictable. John was like a ticking time bomb that was on the verge of blowing. Being so close to Paradise yet he can't do anything was driving the boy mad. _Ms. Hart, you must be a piece of work. _

_But, he's a bit better now Five's here to distract him. _Nine thought, grinning at the mention of their charismatic seventeen year old female ally. _I won't blame him though. _Five was like the moon. She was easy to look at with her stunning smile and natural playful personality. She was captivating and insightful but that was only one side. Nine could just see she was hiding something behind her winning smiles. Maybe she didn't realize it herself. _What is she hiding? Scars? Lingering past? Regrets? _Nine frowned, recalling how difficult it was for him to open up with everyone. He knew he trusted the girl, in his bones, he was sure Five wouldn't backstab him. But trusting someone with their feelings and thoughts was much more difficult than their life.

A soft creak from the stairs perked Nine's ears, drawing his thoughts away from the girl. He forced himself to not turn as his eyes stayed glue to the screen. His rapid typing barely faltered. Whoever was walking, Nine knew it was a girl. The guys had heavier footsteps. These steps were light and dainty, almost impossible to hear if he wasn't so focus on them. From the reflection off of his screen, he could see a slender form walking to the kitchen. "Midnight snack?" Nine asked in a light tone.

"John's cupcakes are to die for." The Loric replied as she smiled at him. Nine nodded his head, smiling to himself. He knew she had a weakness for sweet things. Nine's onyx eyes widen when he felt a light pressure against the nape of his neck. The finger danced across the skin and Nine unconsciously leaned forward, allowing it to slide against his neck. A shiver rippled down his spine and Nine sucked in a gasp that was about to leave his lips. A distinct chuckle escaped his companion's lips as she climbed over the couch, sitting on the upper part. "You work too hard, Nine."

"Someone has too, Six…" He replied shakily and tried to turn around but her fingers gently knead his tense shoulders. "Whoa…" He moaned as her skillful fingers hit a particular spot. Six sat with her slim legs on either side of Nine. He unconsciously tilted his head back when her fingers found another tense spot, letting a soft groan leave his lips. The girl leaned in close so her mouth was right by his ear.

"A little tense?" Nine's eyes opened when he felt her breasts pressed against his back. Setting his laptop a safe distance away, Nine turned around swiftly, grabbing her legs to steady the girl, leaned in close so only a few inches separated their lips. A seductive chuckle escaped Six's lips but her eyes were closed. "Eager?" She breathed, every breath pushing her chest against his.

Nine let out a husky chuckle, placing his hand on her bare legs and stood on his knees so the girl didn't have to lean over him. He nudged his head closer, skimming her cheek with his nose and burying it in neck. His fingers traced the number Five on her legs and he grinned when the girl in his arms stiffened. "Nice try, Five." He whispered against her neck as the girl shoved him away. A green-eyed Six glared at him and crossed her arms. A triumph laugh escaped his lips as Five allowed the image of Six to dissolve from her form, leaving only a very annoyed Five. "How's that for acting?" He asked, hands still holding her steady. His fingers danced up her legs. The blonde scowled at him before moving her leg, successfully kicking him in the side. The dark haired boy flinched and rolled out of the space between her legs, nursing his side and allowing her to cross them. "Hey, you started it." He replied, as the girl slide from her spot to occupy his. "A little horny, Five?"

"Fuck you." Five muttered, a little frustrated with herself for getting caught up with his game.

"That could be arranged." Nine replied easily only to get another shove from the girl. "Ok, ok, peace." He shouted, grabbing his laptop. Five leaned in to look at the words. "Can you read Loric?" Five ignored his question, pulling the screen close and studied the symbols. Nine allowed her, noticing how a little crease would appear between her eyebrows when she was thinking really hard. They sat in silence as Five studied the words before shoving the thing away. "Anything?"

"Do you have the original documents? I might be able to translate them. It's a very long shot." Nine grinned and hugged the girl's shoulders before pulling up another screen. Five shook her head at his enthusiasm but smiled. She looked at the boy, their mysterious self-appointed leader of the group. "How did you know?" She let the words slip out of her mouth as she gauged his reaction. He barely flinched at her sudden words. "How did you know I wasn't Six?" Nine looked over, closing his laptop to give her his full attention. She stared directly into his eyes as he moved closer, reaching out to caress her cheek and gently run his thumb over her full pouty lips. She was completely calm as he inched closer, brushing a strand of her hair out of her face and pressed his forehead against hers. Five's eyes unconsciously slide close, allowing his breath to fan her face.

"This doesn't affect you. This closeness, you've been like this before." Five listened to his voice as she slowly opened her eyes. Nine gazed into her distinct emerald eyes, noticing a flicker of pain in them that was simply alluring. "You were close to someone, a human." Five reached up and took his hand, pulling away from him, both physically and emotionally. Nine allowed her, still looking at her face. There was a raw hurt he hadn't expected from her. "I… Six isn't like you. She's not bold. She would never approach me like you did. We… we still haven't kissed yet."

"What?" Nine turned and smiled at the pure shock in Five's voice and on her face. There were moments when she looked so innocent and genuine. "That's not possible. She wouldn't waited that long. I mean, you've almost…" Five stopped herself abruptly, looking down at her hands as she messed around with the drawstrings of her pants.

"Died?" Nine finished for her. She nodded her head shyly. Nine was pretty good at accepting his near-death experience. He knew he wasn't invincible. It was something that bothered his companions a lot more. They were more freaked out about the accident than he was. "Six has this stupid notion in her head that if we don't kiss. I won't die." Five shook her head, glaring at something across the room. Nine's eyes followed hers and noticed they were looking at the framed picture of her Cepan.

"She's hopeful." Five whispered, still looking at her Cepan. Her voice was low and guarded. "We can die at any moment. It's a scary thought, a reality we have to look at every day. So, we believe in little things to stay hopeful." She turned and gave him a mischievous smile. "Though, that means you're a little… frustrated." Nine laughed at how indelicate Five was. She was quite a girl, very different than Six and Marina, a refreshing difference. "Can I ask you something? But, no matter what your answer is, I'm still going to do it."

"Why are we having this conversation then? You know it's easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission." Five smiled at the comment. "It was something my Cepan would say when I was younger." Nine frowned at himself, playing with his knuckles. "You know, I've turned it against him a couple of times before when I was older." He trailed off but quickly looked at Five, getting back on topic. "Go, ask away."

"I want to take John to Paradise." Five said in a clear defined voice.

"Paradise isn't a euphemism, is it?" Five rolled her eyes and held her fist up threatening. "Ok, I'm done." Nine said, holding his hands up to fight her off. He grinned and looked at her with serious eyes. "Why?"

Five opened her mouth to reply but paused and closed it again. She didn't really know why she wanted to help John. It was just something about him that seemed broken. She could see it in his blue eyes whenever he would look outside the windows towards the road that would take them into town. She knew that look, seeing it in her own eyes sometimes when she dwelled on her past. There was a past in Paradise, Ohio that John still held dear. He needed some form of closure if he was going to move on.

"John has some unfinished business in Paradise. I can see it in his eyes. It's eating away at him. I just want to help." Nine listened to the girl, already knowing his answer. Her green eyes pleaded as she looked at him. "We'll go on the fair day when everyone is busy. Please, Nine." The boy turned away, unable to look into her eyes.

"Use your brain, Five. I know you have one. Think." Five's jaw clenched at the indirect insult. "Think of the panic it would cause if Bomber Smith, FBI's most wanted terrorist waltz into the town which started his career. On the day they're trying to raise money to rebuild the school he destroyed? Ironic much? You're not going." Five reached out, touching Nine's wrist when it happened.

"_Don't give me that look." I said as I stared into my mug of black coffee. The dark haired girl sighed from her spot but continued glaring at me. We were in the penthouse kitchen, so early no one was awake beside us. I ran my fingers through my long hair and moved to the pot to fill up my cup again. "Six, stop it. Stop looking at me like I kicked Bernie."_

"_You might as well have." Six shot back with spite in her words. Her jaw was clenched as she glared at me with her pretty hazel eyes. Her fists were clenched beside her like she was itching for a fight. I was tempted to start one. We needed an outlet for this pent-up energy. All this tension over the human wasn't worth it. "You didn't have to send her away. We could protect her. It's only one more person."_

_No, we can't. I thought while shaking my head and taking a sip. I looked at Six. Her eyes were bright and hopeful. "One more human is one more casualty __**I do not need**__." Six's mouth gaped open as she stared at me and I turned away, unable to handle the hurt in her eyes. For some reason, the girl we rescued from New Mexico affected me in a way I do not like. It was like I cared about her opinion. She's just another girl, I reasoned when I heard Six's mug clash loudly against the marble counter._

"_Is that what Sam was?" I flinched at the name, curling my fingers tighter over my mug. "A casualty? You're heartless Nine." I turned just in time to watch her stomp away, disappearing into the training room. I wanted to stop her, to justify my actions and decisions but I didn't. I let her walk away._

"_As long as we're alive." I whispered to the air before finishing my coffee._

Five reeled from the memory and released Nine's wrist. The boy moved quickly grabbing her arm and held her down with his dark eyes. They were both panting from the memory, a whiplash effect that Five often experienced. But this was the first time anyone besides her felt the aftereffects. "What did you do?" Nine panted, trying to regain his breath. His eyes were looking around, trying to sort out what transpired. Five tried to pull away, afraid another memory might trigger from their closeness but Nine's grip was firm. "What did you see?" He growled needing answers right now.

"I…" She started, trying to sort things out in her own mind. "You were talking to Six about something, someone. Needing to send someone away." Five closed her eyes, trying to recall what happened. "A human… A girl." She connected. Nine's grip of Five's wrist weakened and he allowed the girl to pull away. She ran her fingers over the bruised skin, marveled by the pure strength he possessed. It was something beyond Loric. "Who is she, Nine?"

Nine stood up and started pacing around the room. Five watched from her spot on the couch as the boy ran his fingers through his thick hair, messing it up. "She… She's John's Achilles' heel." Five blinked, not quite processing his words. "John lived in Paradise before I met him. He was in a relationship with a human girl. A deep relationship. Her name is Sarah Hart." The blonde's mouth fell open, recognizing the name. "You know her?" Nine asked, gauging her reaction. Five nodded her head, recalling a memory when she used to frequently visit people in town. It was a passing comment one of her new acquaintances said when the past a spacey but pretty blonde. _You're so pretty. You might give Sarah a run for her money as the fair princess. _Five sighed, closing her eyes. _Small fucking world._

"Your memory invasion legacy…" Nine started, thinking out loud as he turned to face the girl. Five looked up, noting his dark thinking look. "Can you control it? Can you invade someone's memories and…"

"Become them?" Five finished with a deliberate smile. The boy nodded his head, looking a little sheepish. It was an awkward idea, stealing someone's image, morphing their memories into your own, taking their identity. Five was amazed she wasn't frightened by it. It made her legacies sound useful, no matter how unethical it seemed. "In theory, yes I can. But in practice, that's a whole different story. I can't exactly practice it like you and your anti-gravity or Six's invisibility. It takes more finesse." Nine sighed and sat down, cradling his face between his two hands. "I'm sorry my Legacies can't be more useful."

"No, no, don't say that." Nine said, looking up and giving her his signature half-smile. "They're useful; we just need to figure out how to use them. So, how are you going to smuggle John into Paradise?" Five looked at his hand before hold out hers. The boy held out his, allowing Five's smaller ones to wrap around his. They were callous from her knives throwing but soft and dainty. Nine was focused on the feel on her hands as she laced them together before closing her eyes. A tingling sensation danced across his skin and Nine closed his eyes, feeling something, not unpleasant but different.

"Look." She ordered, tapping his knee. Their fingers were still entwined together as he looked at the dark window which easily reflected his image. Nine's naturally darker skin was paler though still tan. His dark hair grew in length and wasn't black but a dirty blond. His face structure changed too. He was still attractive but in an American boy way, all golden hair, football player, not like his tall, dark and handsome appearance.

"My god, I'm John." Nine realized as he flexed his arms, marveled at his new defined muscles. For some reason, John always had better arms than Nine, something the boy was jealous of. He smirked at his reflection as he flexed and Five laughed. "What?" He asked, giving her a smoky look with his still black eyes.

"That smirk, John would not smirk like that." Nine rolled his eyes and ran his unoccupied hand through his newly blond hair before winking at his reflection. "Oh god." Five murmured before releasing Nine's hand. The image disappeared and Nine frowned when his newly defined arms deflated.

"Killjoy." He murmured, looking back at her.

"You know, you were basically checking John out." The boy paused, processing what the blonde in front of him said before twisting his face into one of horror. The two teens laughed and Five leaned her head against the couch, grinning at the boy. "I've been practicing my image shift on other people with Marina. As long as I'm in contact with them, they would maintain the image. This is my plan."

"So basically John just has to stay in contact with you either hand-holding, arm around the waist, on the butt…" Five cocked her eyebrow at his words as the boy summarized her plan. "To keep his new image. Lucky bastard." The last part was whispered but Five still caught it, shaking her head and smiled at Nine. He returned it with a good-natured one. She was pretty sure the boy in front of her didn't harbor any romantic feelings for her but it was so comfortable to be with him. Talking with Nine was easy, surprisingly easy. "Ok, if you can convince him, you can go on your merry adventure." Five squealed in glee and launched herself towards him, pulling him into a bone crushing hug. The boy laughed into her ear, returning her eager hug. "One condition: Eight and Marina need to come. Eight can get you out of any hairy situations and Marina can be your chaperone."

"I'm not the one who needs a chaperone. You'll be alone here with Six." Five noted as she pulled away to look at him. Nine didn't try to hide his rakish smile. The girl shook her head and scoffed at him. "Pig." Nine laughed lightly and allowed her to slip out of his warm arms. She continued smiling as she walked towards the stairs but paused. "Nine," she asked, turning to look at his head. Nine was already engrossed with another problem, pulling up flight listings for their next trip. It looked like they were leaving very soon. He was listening though. His typing had stopped. "Why didn't you kiss me before?"

Five bit her lips, regretting her words. She just wanted to know. They were too hormonal raging Lorics in very close proximity with each other. She knew she wouldn't kiss him but he didn't. Five shook her head, about to tell him to ignore her question. "I didn't kiss you," he started, measuring out his words. Five knew he was thinking about his answer even though she couldn't see his eyes. Nine was just the guy who would think before saying anything. "I didn't because you were thinking about someone else and I don't like second place."


	9. Six is irreplaceable

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: Gosh, this was a hard one to write. I'm so sorry it took so long. I'm out of the States right now on vacation/visiting extended family. The time differences and lack of downtime makes it really hard to write. Vacationing is hard. XP. I'm not sure about this one. I like bits and pieces of it but there are some weird parts I haven't figured out a neat fix. I hope this is a nice interaction between Five and Six. Just one more and then a new set! I really want to get the last one out before fall quarter starts. I hope it does justice to both girls. Review please! Any thoughts or advice is much appreciated. If anything confuses you, especially the last line, PM me. I won't bite!

Five Things: Five learned about her allies

IV. Six is irreplaceable

Five took a deep breath of the clean night air as she stretched her legs out in front of her. The stretch was good, reliving the tension from the tight muscles. Her body ached all over with various pains. Her torso ached from bruises and cuts. Her left arm stung painfully from a deep burn. The girl had submerged her whole arm into her cool lake, fighting off the burn. It still hurt whenever she touched it, an agonizing reminder for what she did. She knew John or Marina could easily erase the injury but Five wanted to feel the hurt. She should. She should feel it a lot more than just a burn on her left arm and bruises scattered over her body. Five closed her eyes to the beautiful setting sun, ashamed of herself.

A sharp chirp followed by a violent vibration forced the girl's emerald green eyes to open. She turned as her cell phone screen lit up and an image of a smiling redhead appeared on the screen. She was one of the many 'friends' Five kept in Paradise. Wordlessly, Five unlocked the phone and glanced at the text message.

**Emily Grant: Faye-Faye! Hey! We haven't seen you around lately. Come by. Everyone misses you. Especially Evan. We're at his house right now and he's been hinting to invite you. I think he likes you! ;P**

Five smiled at the text and set down her phone. Lying on the cool grass, she stared at the cloudless sky. The offer was tempting. She hadn't been out in a while, pretending to be a carefree sixteen year old human. Her cover was over-the-top but no one questioned her. Five was a runaway trust-fund kid who already received her GED from community college at an early age. She ran away from New York City when things got rough and ended up in Paradise. The story somehow held up and she socialized with a few local kids to keep up with appearances. As tempting as the offer was, Five knew she couldn't just disappeared to some random party. The others might worry and go searching for her. _And how would I charm myself out of that situation? _Five thought as she opened a new text message to reply.

**Faye Lewis: Evan is a cutie and as tempting as the offer is, I can't. My grandfather sent a few of my friends to try and convince me back home. I have to pretend I care. Have fun for me.**

Five closed her phone and listened to the silence of the coming night. The fireflies were starting to come out over the lake, dancing intricate patterns. She could hear the croaks of the frogs calling out to their friends. A harsh crunch of sneakers against gravel cut through the sounds of nature. Five's fingers curled around her dagger's hilt and her eyes hardened. "I told you, John. I'm fine. Leave me alone."

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not John." A distinctly female voice answered and Five sat up quickly. She turned to see Six standing there, dressed in a light blue hoodie and dark jeans. Her dark hair fell loose around her pretty face. In the dying light, it danced across her simple yet stunning features. Her hazel eyes still held a sharp unmistakable edge. The blonde quickly turned away, remembering the anguish expression on her ally's face. The expression she caused, events of what happened earlier replied in her mind.

"_This is suicidal." Nine stated with a stern look as he glanced between the two girls. Six and Five were barely fazed by the boy's discouraging words as they readied themselves. Six was pulling on a pair of Loric fighting fingerless gloves. Her dark hair was swept up in a high ponytail. A serious focused expression on her striking face. Five looked equally driven as she unstrapped her dagger from its cover. The blue steel twisted from its tiny dagger into a mid-length katana. The steel gleamed in the sunlight from base to point. They were both dressed in shorts and a simple t-shirts, unafraid of what was going to happen. "It's agreed that weapons and legacies are allowed?"_

"_I disagree!" Marina explained loudly from her disapproving spot beside Six. Five rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. She just nodded her head when Nine's onyx eyes met hers. The blonde opened and closed her hand as she nervously bounded on the balls of her tennis shoes clad feet. Six's s expression was difficult to read as she met Nine's question with a nod of her own. Six was always a private person. Five recalled Marina once commenting how at ease she felt with the young warrior. She thought it was because of how close their numbers were. Five though hadn't felt the closeness Marina spoke of. Only a quiet disregard._

"_Yes, Mar, we all are aware of how much you disagree with this." Nine replied as he gently tugged the girl safely behind him. He looked at both girls with a strange weariness in his young eyes. Five smiled at him, trying to ease his worry and turned to meet Six's gaze who's eyes narrowed for some reason. Thankfully, Eight, Ella and John were away, doing their daily long jog. They shouldn't be back for a while. A rueful sigh escaped Nine's lips. "Don't kill each other."_

No promises. _Five thought as she lowered her sword just a fraction. Six moved swiftly. Her fists were wrapped with flames of bright orange and red. Five barely warded off her attack, feeling the heat of the flames lick her face. She countered with her sword but they grazed off of Six's fists. Her gloves were made of reinforced Loric fabric, impossible to cut through. Five found them in her chest and right now was regretting letting Six use them. The girls separated. Their expression was difficult to read as they steadied themselves._

_Five knew the fight between Six was going to be difficult. She caught glimpses of Six and Nine training whenever she returned from her daily run. They moved fast like blurs. Five had to really concentrate if she wanted to make out their rapid movements. They both had perfect control over their bodies. Five was mesmerized and also fueled by their strength._

_Six's hazel eyes were hard as steel as she regarded Five with a cool gaze. Five felt like a boxed mouse with a cat battering at her. The girls were circling each other, not giving an inch. Five didn't like the cool expression on the girl's face just before she dissolved in thin air. The blonde swore and gripped her sword tighter. She knew Six was going to turn invisible but it was still an amazing sight. The girl allowed her telekinesis to drift free but kept her other senses open as well._

"_This isn't a fair fight." Five's sensitive ears caught Marina's worried tone but she didn't dare look behind her. The air was so still Five didn't dare to move. Six barely brushed a piece of grass as she moved. Five knew the girl was moving too. She could feel the subtle shifts in the air with her telekinesis but nothing concrete. That was what made Six deadly. Her invisibility was useful but the patience was the dangerous part of her. "Nine, stop it." Marina whined. Unable to resist, Five's eyes flickered over to the pair. Nine stood unmoved as Marina grabbed his arm. He watched with apprehensive eyes. _

"_Have faith, Marina." Five couldn't resist the comment as she turned around rapidly, blocking an invisible fist. Six materialized and the girls traded smug smiles. "Surprised, Six?" She asked as she strained against the girl's strength. Her sword barely dug into the gloves. They were equally matched._

"_No, not really." Six replied as she moved to kick Five away but the girl jumped before connecting. "We're just getting started." The expression of Six's face was so cold and icy, Five wasn't sure if she was the same girl laughing at Nine's jokes earlier. Without hesitating, she charged faster than Five has seen her move before with her hands engulf in flames. Five was able to parry a majority of Six's flaming assault but she could feel the heat licking at her skin. The fire caught Five's short sleeves but the girl ignored the burning sensation. Six was quick like lightning and relentless like a monsoon. Five stabbed blindly with her katana, trying to be on the offense but Six easily deflected it with her open hand. The blonde swiped her blade from the short distance but Six grabbed it, unafraid. The girls were locked, unable to move with Six holding Five's blade with her right hand and hilt with her left. Five growled, trying to pull herself free but she was trapped, a stalemate. Furious emerald green eyes glared into cool hazel gray. "You're good." Six whispered as she tugged Five closer. The girl moved despite trying to keep her ground. "But I'm better."_

_With that, Six dragged Five forward, driving her knee into Five's unprotected gut. Five gasped at the pain but pulled her sword back, attacking with her left leg for a high kick. Six defended with her elbow and kicked Five's sword out of the girl's hand. Five barely had time to block Six's next fiery hit. Her eyes shot open, not from the pain which was terrible but at something else. Her stupid legacy seemed to trigger at the worse moments._

A middle-aged woman stood in front of her, holding a wooden sword. Her lips were moving but not sound left them. She was beautiful and strong despite her age. With shoulder length brown hair and green eyes, she appeared harmless but I knew better. She was my Cepan and I was her Garde. Her little warrior.

"_Five!" Five snapped out of the memory, leaning back to dodge Six's next hit. In a series of complex locks, she wiggled herself out of Six's grapple and placed some distance between them. Five gasped for breath as she reeled from the memory and torn off her burn sleeves. She clenched her left arm, feeling the scorching burn and watched as Six kicked her dagger, catching it gracefully in the air. Five took a deep breath, feeling disoriented by the memory. Her eyes flickered to Nine who noticed her lapse. Marina was tugging at his arm but his dark eyes were locked with hers. He shook his head, answering Five's unasked question._

"_I'm ending this." Six announced, dragging Five's attention back to her as she twirled the dagger in her fingers nimbly. Five knew she was in over her head. A fight against Six was hardly a fair one. She knew it coming into the fight and right now she held something which could turn the table._

"_Or maybe I will." Five said, trying to sound like her cocky self. _

_Six laughed at her attitude and smiled like they were just chatting over coffee instead of fighting each other. Five's stomach churned, already hating herself for what she's about to do. "I like you, Five. You're confident which is good. But too much confidence can be costly." In that second, Six charged, dagger out ready to finish the fight. Five had a sad expression on her face just before it changed into an achingly familiar face. Six twisted away just before stabbing Five, stopping in her tracks. Her mouth slipped open as she looked at the person in front of her. "Katarina…"_

_In that moment of weakness, Five attacked. She held nothing back as she grabbed her dagger, disarming the stunned girl and slashed Six's thigh. The Garde disguised as a Cepan didn't stop, relentlessly swiping and slashing Six's arms and legs. Six defended a few blows but she couldn't attack, thrown off balanced. Five landed another painful cut before stepping back and kicking the dark haired girl away. Six hit the ground painfully, gasping for breath as Five tucked her dagger away. She didn't need it to finish the girl._

"_Oh my little warrior," Five said in a voice that was too motherly to sound cruel. She walked towards the girl, seeing the effects in her friend's sad hazel eyes. Five felt power pulsing through her veins as the girl slowly tried to get up. "You were so strong, what happened?" Five pulled her leg back for one final kick but something appeared in front of her. Eight deflected Five's harsh kick and held it, glaring at her with his dark green eyes._

"_Enough, Five." He ordered in a stern voice, waiting for her bloodlust to descend. Five blinked, slowly feeling like herself as she stepped back. The image of Katarina dissolved from the girl, leaving only a shaking blonde. She looked at her hands and clothes, covered with bits of blood and charred fabric. Six was slowly getting up, pressing her hand against a deep cut on her thigh. Five could hear John and Ella shouting from the distance as they hurried over. "That was uncalled for." Eight stated when Five finally met his gaze._

_Her gaze didn't waver as Nine and Marina ran over to help Six. Five felt sick like she wanted to vomit but couldn't. Marina's hands were already glowing blue, ready to soothe over the physical wounds. _Can you heal the mental ones? _Five thought as she ran her right hand over her left shoulder, feeling the biting burns from the violent flames. Her legs were bruised and battered, barely supporting her weight. "I know." Five said softly, holding her head high and walking away._

Six eased herself down beside Five, quiet and graceful. The blonde couldn't match her gaze, feeling dirty after their fight. Six didn't need dirty tricks to win her battles. She was all strength in a cool and relax package. While Five was all smoke and mirrors, a deceitful fighter. _A win is a win. _Five could imagine Rowan telling her but she still wouldn't accept it. She felt like scum, relying on a dirty trick like that. She turned to apologize but Six cut her off. "Why did you think I was John?"

"I nearly slit his throat when he tried to touch me before. Thought he might want to try again." Five replied, fiddling with a piece of her blonde hair. She recalled the feel of his warm fingers against her wrist when she walked by. How his eyes searched her face and body, noticing the cuts and burns that marked her. He opened his mouth to say something but her steel was quicker. Five held the knife against his neck, pressing it just so he could feel the cold steel. "Not now." She ordered and the boy nodded but his blue eyes promised a later.

"So you and John?" Six asked and Five knew she was trying to sound casual but failed miserably. There was a bite to her words which Five didn't like and she was pretty sure Six didn't even notice it herself.

"Jealous?" Five replied without thinking before biting her lip and turning away. Her words were sharp and cutting where it hurts. Six opened her mouth, trying to find some sort of retort. "Sorry…" She added after the awkward silence continued and still persisted. Five noticed little things about Six and the others. Five was always observant. She could see the conflict in Six's eyes especially when it involved the blue-eyed Loric. Her eyes would follow him unconsciously like she was making sure he wouldn't disappear. Five also saw how Nine noticed this too but unlike the young dark haired woman, he wasn't easy to read. The blonde could also see how the two boys were drawn to the girl for some hidden reason Five couldn't pinpoint.

"You should let John help. These wounds need to be treated and soon." Six advised coolly, ignoring Five's curt comment. Five allowed her to reach out and touch her shoulder. Her hazel eyes narrowed at the burnt flesh. Worried was evident in the hazel hues. "Why didn't you let him help?" The question lingered in the air as Five crawled to the lake, pulling out a towel she soaked in the cool water. She hissed when it touched the burn and sighed as it eased. "Don't punish yourself." Five smiled, despite herself.

"You don't think I deserve this pain?" Five asked as she gently pulled the towel back, revealing the wound. It covered a majority of her left upper arm from her shoulder to her elbow. It was painful red. "I do. What I did was dirty and underhanded. I'm sorry for using Katarina's image. I – "

"Don't." Six cut her off, stopping her apology. "I'm not weak." Five wanted to disagree. Anyone was weak when they faced someone they loved. "We agreed to use anything, weapons or legacies. You did nothing wrong."

"That doesn't mean it's not wrong! There are things, memories, which should never be touch even in a fight." Five replied, thinking about her own Cepan. If he stood in front of her, she knew she couldn't hit him. Even if he was attacking her, she just couldn't. Six touched the younger girl's shoulder, pulling her attention away from her painful memories. A tiny understanding smile tugged at her lips. "I'm sorry, Six."

Six nodded her head, accepting the apology, and the girls watched the sun dip behind the trees. Five rested her chin on her arm, studying the solid girl who she never truly had a conversation with. The others were always there to intrude. But she knew of Six, the strongest female in their group. She was always training, driven by their cause. Six was smart in both battle tactics and life, often giving advice to others. She seemed fearless and unflappable but Five knew she isn't. Six just hides it very well underneath a cool expression. The girl was beautiful with her sharp dark features to match her amazing strength.

"Why haven't you kissed Nine?" Five asked bluntly, smirking at Six's reaction. The girl turned rapidly, whipping her hair into her face. Her mouth dropped open in surprised, revealing a set of perfect teeth. Five smiled, finding the whole situation a little funny. "Well?"

"I… Um… what? How do you know about that?" Six stuttered, looking like a school girl as she tried to fight the blush threatening to spread.

"Nine told me." Five replied as she laid down in the grass, groping for her phone. There was a message from Marina, blinking on the screen. **Marina: Please come back. Everyone is worried. Especially John. **Five's eyes unconsciously softened at the sight of his name and she wordlessly tucked the phone into her pocket. Six's flustered expression shifted into a miffed one.

"Aren't you buddy-buddy with everyone?" Six snapped, crossing her arms and looking out at the lake. Five wasn't sure what to make from the comment and listened to the rest of the girl's rant. "Everyone can't stop talking about you. It's all I hear. Five is so pretty. Five said the funniest thing today. Five braided my hair, she's so nice. Five is such a spitfire. It's always Five this or Five that. It's annoying."

"It's annoying?" Five echoed as she sat up, shaking her head. Her green eyes hardened. "Six, it's just like a child with a new toy. They love it because it's new and exciting. I'm a new toy to them. They may talk about me for a bit but Six, it's really you they adore. Can't you see how the guys moon over you? How Marina craves for your approval? How Ella worships the ground you walk on?" Six blinked, not believing Five's words. The blonde sighed, frustrated with her. "You don't see it do you? I can joke around with Eight, but it's you he respects. I can tell Marina stories of places I've been to but she really listens to you. Ella sees you as a role model and strides to be like you. I can flirt and kid around with Nine but he only has eyes for you. John…" Five bit her lips, feeling her heart beat painfully against her chest. "John and I may trade jabs and looks but he watches you. He harbors something for you that I may never have." Five shook her head, allowing her words to seep into the older girl. She slowly stood up, brushing the wet grass and dirt off her of bare legs before looking down at Six. "They love you and I can't replace you nor do I want to." Five said before walking away.

"They like you too." Five stopped at Six's sudden words. She was still sitting on the hard ground. Her hands were curled around the grass, tugging at various strands. Her voice was steady as she spoke. "Eight things you're a riot. He likes how different you react to his actions. Marina wants you to feel comfortable, more part of the group. Ella likes the way you smile. She says you should smile more often. Nine wants to help you find your place. He always had a knack of noticing things people want to hide. John…" Six's voice faltered at John's name. A hint of longing was in her voice but she hid it well. "He likes you similar to how he liked Sarah Hart. Not because you're blonde or Loric or something superficial. It's deeper and it's there. I can see it. We all can."

"Well that's a problem." Five commented softly, feeling a pang in her heart. Her phone was vibrating violently against her leg and she slid it out, peeking at the caller. John's smiling face was there on the screen. _Because I don't deserve it._


	10. Four is pretty cheesy

Disclaimer: I do not own _Lorien Legacies._This is the property of Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

A/N: Whoa! I can't believe I actually finished this before fall quarter started. I'm guessing everyone is expecting Five and John at the Paradise fundraising thing I hinted in Five's third one but I decided to hold that one for John's arc. This one is mostly focus on Five's past. I wished I had more John/Five interaction but my brain kind of died. I'm kinda of unsatisfied with the ending. :/ What are your thoughts?

I'm not sure who I'm gonna do next. It's a toss up between either John or Nine. I haven't planned a Marina, Eight or Ella arc yet but hopefully inspiration will pop up. Who would you like next between the two? Review please! They really help!

Another side note, I have not read Fall of Five yet but I know Five is a guy and he did some pretty bad stuff. :( I'm a bit sad my Five won't be real but at least she's not evil. Well, on with the show!

Five Things: Five learned about her allies

V. Four is pretty cheesy

Five tugged her jacket closer to herself as she ascended the creaky metal steps. The metal rail was cold against her palm as she trailed her hand over it. She smiled at the memory of her years ago, running up the steps unafraid of falling. The door creaked open from years of unused, revealing a wide open rooftop with the New York City skyline in the distance. The girl took a deep breath and grinned as the sun kissed the skyline just so, illuminated it. It felt good to be home again.

Five glanced around, noticing the little changes on the rooftop. There was still a sandbag, hanging carefully from the strong beam by the entrance. A collection of weights stood on its stand, hiding in the shadow. A soft punch dummy sat limp against its stand, stuffing falling out from a few rips and tears. A bird's nest was buried in the midsection. The blonde walked over, a smile tugging at her lips as she eyed the smiley face she drew on it years ago. The memory of Rowan installing the dummy replayed in her mind.

_Twelve year old Five hugged herself as she surveyed the rooftop of their new home. It was dirty with pigeon poop and random glass from broken beer bottles. She wiggled her nose and buried it in her red scarf. Clumps of dirty snow from a few days ago were slowly melting, stubbornly trying to stay despite the warming weather. Rowan was fiddling with something in the corner as his Garde wandered around, looking at the place with weary green eyes._

_Five missed their home in Japan. She missed the babbling brooks behind their modest but compact house. She missed her routine of going to school and laughing with her friends. What she missed the most was the dojo Rowan found for her. She missed how clean and organized it was. She missed the stern sword master who would point out her every flaw and forced her to work until she was bone tired. That was home. Not this cold isolated place._

"_Five," the old man called, pulling the young girl from her thoughts. Despite being fluid in English, Five felt weird not hearing Japanese leave her Cepan's mouth. He was dressed warmly in a thick trench coat. His white hair peeked out of his wooly hat. Five could feel his dark eyes on her as he beckoned her over. "It's not much…" Rowan started as he revealed what he was working on. Five's ginger smile grew as she spotted what Rowan was fiddling with. It was a brand new combat dummy, propped up with a makeshift stand. Rowan continued talking with a sheepish look on his elderly face. "I know it's not the same as Master Hiro – Umpf" Five ran over, crashing into the older man and wrapped her arms around his waist. She embraced his warmth and buried her head, inhaling his woodsy scent mixed with pipe smoke. Rowan smiled and rested his hand on top of her blonde curls. "You're not mad?"_

"_I am," Five replied with a little smile as she looked up at him. "But I know it's not your fault we had to leave."_

"_Well…"_

"Come on, John. Just grow a pair and ask her. What's the worst that can happen?" Five instinctively turned towards the sound of Eight's voice. She didn't mean to eavesdrop but Eight was just naturally loud. She could hear their heavy steps against the metal stairs as they headed up. Five leaned against the brick wall, blending into the shadows.

"Drop it, Eight. I do not need your badgering." John replied sharply as he appeared from the doorway with Eight not far behind. They were both dressed in loose track pants and t-shirts, ready for an easy workout. John glared at the easy going boy while running his fingers through his newly dyed brown hair. To match his new look, Marina painted a noticeable scar just above his left eye. "If I wanted girl advice, I would have asked Nine."

"Nine? Nine!" Eight exclaimed as he spun around and glared at the previously blond boy. He faked hurt well as he pouted at John with his green eyes. "Why Nine? Who's the one with a girlfriend?"

"You have a girlfriend? I'll go tell Marina." Five asked innocently with a teasing tone in her soothing voice. Both boys physically jumped and turned to face her with wide shocked eyes. A devilish smile tugged at her lips as she walked out. Her hands were hidden behind her back as she tilted her head.

"Ha, ha, very funny, Five." Eight replied as he regained his breath. "Nearly gave me a heart attack, woman." Five rolled her eyes at his reaction but paused as she noticed a glint in his emerald eyes. It was his signature mischievous one and over the few weeks she lived with the group, Five has learn to be weary. His smile seemed perkier than usual. "What are you doing up here?"

"I lived here. Of course I know where the roof is." She answered coolly, eying the naturally dark haired boy. Eight nodded his head in understanding though Five wasn't sure if it was mocking or not.

"Ignore him, Five. He's just being a brat." John said and smiled at her with his trademark smile. Five felt her insides flutter at the sight of his blue eyes. He seemed more stable once they left Paradise. He must have found his closure, thankfully. Five nodded her head and turned away, burying the flutters in her stomach.

"Oh no, you're not changing the subject." Five ordered as she traded a mischievous look with stretching Eight. The air was cool as summer started to taper down. Autumn was slowly approaching. A light breeze tickled Five's cheek and she absentmindedly pushed her lock of golden hair behind her shoulder. "So, who's the lucky girl?"

"No." John replied in a stern voice, pointing at Five with a determined expression. "No, not you too. I do not have a girl problem." Eight and Five traded looks again. "Stop trading looks. First Six asks me, then Eight and now you. Why does everyone assume I have a girl problem?"

"Because you do." Eight and Five replied in unison. John glared at the two with furious blue eyes.

"Hey! Don't gang up on me!" The two Lorics burst out laughing. Five clenched her stomach and leaned against the brick wall while Eight bended over, slapping his knee. John groaned and grabbed Five's arm, pulling her towards him. "Five, you're supposed to be on my side." He whispered into her ear. The girl continued chuckling, trying to catch her breath.

"Yeah, yeah." She panted through her dying chuckles and wiped her eye. "Come on, John. Who's the girl?" John kept his mouth shut, giving her a steel gaze. Five battered her eyelashes at him and pouted. "Pretty please? A little hint? Anyone I know?"

"Oh I think you know her pretty well." Eight laughed and smirked, judging John's reaction.

"Shut up, Eight!" John ordered as he shoved Eight's shoulder. The lanky boy fell over, landing on his butt. That didn't deter his laugher as he sat on the cold concrete floor. Five chose to ignore their interaction, smiling behind her hand. John turned to address her. "There's no one."

"Aw, that's a pity. I was in a helpful mood. I can be a pretty good wing girl." She replied with a little wink. John returned it with a chuckle. "But since you're not busy," Five continued, feeling the boy's blue eyes on her back as she walked towards the staircase. She peeked over her shoulder. "You can be my escort."

"Your what?" John replied stupidly.

"Escort. Nine won't let me wander around the city alone." Five explained as she leaned against the door frame. Eight finally stood up, listening to the conversation intently. "Even though I've lived here for five years, sheesh he's such a worry wart."

"Of course he worries. We all do." John whispered.

"Hm?" Five replied, barely noticing John's comment.

"Alright, alright, I'll go!" John agreed loudly, hiding his last comment. Eight smirked behind him.

"Great!" She replied happily before skipping down the stairs, barely hearing Eight and John's last comments.

"See, I told you she likes you."

"Shut up."

"Who did we just visit again?" John asked as Five slide her card over the card scanner. The machine beeped and the plastic gates open for her. She slide through and turned as John repeated the process. He had an adorable confused look on his face as he tried to sort out all the people Five introduced him too. The commuter traffic moved around them in a chaotic organized fashion.

"Really John?" Five teased as she grabbed his left arm, latching onto it so he wouldn't get lost. The masses had already swallowed him up once and she was about to lose him again. _Sure, _a knowing voice that sounded eerily like Six teased. "You only met a few. The ones at the college were Daemon, Jackie and Frank. They were Rowan's colleagues." John nodded his head, allowing the blonde to tug him towards the subway platform.

"Ok…" John answered, scratching his head as they walked by a coffee stand. The female barista leaned forward, obviously checking John out. Five tightened her hold on him, giving the girl a half-glare. The girl backed off immediately which brought a smile to her lips. "Five, I need circulation in that arm. I thought you were my wing girl." He whispered into her ear as they walked by. Five let go suddenly and turned away, coaxing a chuckle from John. "I'm teasing." He bumped her hip and tugged a strand of her blonde hair.

"Shut up," Five whispered with a little smile and peeked at the boy. John grinned back, glancing at the subway table to figure out when the train will show up. "Anyways, they were our contacts in US when we landed. They helped us on a plane to Asia where I grew up for a majority of my life." The lights from the subway cut through the dark accompanied by the shriek of the brakes. John's hand was on the small of Five's back as he gently pushed her through the crowd. She grabbed his hand, guiding him to a tiny pocket of space between the masses. "They hooked Rowan up with a lecturing spot when we settled in New York."

"I wonder what kind of professor he was." John asked as he was shoved forward. He grabbed the pole beside her but Five could feel his breath against her face. She forgot how crowded the subways could get. Five blinked, trying to focus on the conversation at hand and not the sexy Loric beside her.

"Rowan was always a good story teller. Whenever he lectured, all his students seemed mesmerized. I always thought he was boring but I lived with him. The students really loved him." Five murmured, remembering how Rowan's dark eyes would have a certain spark in them whenever he lectured. "He never gave out homework but he would always listen to anyone's problems."

"Sounds like a good guy." John commented, being shoved closer to her. Five reached out, grabbing his arm and pulled him towards her. Five tucked his arm, forcing the boy to wrap it around her slim waist. John gave her a look which Five chose to ignore. "I would have liked him." He said instead, settling against her side.

"You would." Five replied automatically, absentmindedly running her fingers over John's arm. Her heart ached at the thought of Rowan. He was always a good judge of character. She had a feeling that Rowan would like John. "He would like you too." She said, resting her temple against John's shoulder, deep in thought. The window across from them worked as a makeshift mirror. They looked like a tired couple, returning for a long date. He looked so different with his blond hair now dark brown. The scar just above his eye made him look like a bad boy. They should have found color contacts for him but Five couldn't imagine him with anything but his piercing blue eyes. _He really looks like Luke. _A voice whispered into her ear and Five bit her lip at the thought. Five met his gaze in the window. "What?"

"You had a spacey look on your face. Trip down memory lane?" Five opened her mouth to answer but the subway jerked. John's fingers tightened around her wrist, stabilizing her. Five buried her face into his chest and wrapped her fingers around his t-shirt. A familiar rush rippled through her body. She braced herself for a memory. The memory wasn't one she was expecting, one of her own.

"_Faye!" I turned and quickly held my hand up, trying to hide my face. "Come on!" The lens clicks could be heard over the cries of the seagulls._

"_Luke! Quit it!" I ordered as I tugged down my straw sunhat to cover my face. A throaty chuckle escaped the handsome boy's mouth. I pouted and pulled my hat a few inches down, looking over the rim to glare at the boy. Luke stood a few feet away with a heavy camera held carefully in his hand and a strap looped around his neck. His dark brown hair was messy from the sea breeze and his eyes were closed as he threw his head back laughing. "Luke! You know I hate pictures."_

"_I don't see why, Faye." Luke stated as he sauntered over with a walk that oozed confidence. His hoodie was unzipped, revealing a tight t-shirt, molded to his fit body. I rolled my green eyes and stood up, smoothing the creases down from my sundress. His camera was held in his hand, ready for any shot. To counter, I held my oversized sunhat, ready to block. "The camera loves you."_

"_No it doesn't." I replied stubbornly, ferociously pushing a stray piece of my blonde hair back as the wind started to pick up again. Luke rolled his bright eyes and smiled. A tiny dimple appeared on his right side where his smile lifted just a bit more. A slight flutter exploded at the pit of my stomach. I hated how giddy I get whenever Luke looked at me like that but I would never let him know. Maybe it's my pride. Most likely it would stroke his ego too much._

"_Ok, it doesn't." Luke agreed as he lowered his camera and gave me an intense gaze. "But I do." My hat nearly slipped from my hand. His words stunned me. A series of rapid clicks came from his camera as I gaped at him. Quickly regaining my wits, I lifted my hat and looked away as a precaution. "Faye!"_

"_That was horrible." I said, trying to calm my beating heart. Luke lowered his camera, the smile falling from his face. "Horribly cheesy." I let out a full laugh, covering my face with my palm. My shoulder shook so much I nearly fell over. "Oh god, you should have seen your face." I said as my laughter slowly died down._

"_God, you're hard to please." Luke muttered as he followed me down the beach. The water licked at our feet. Sand fell between my toes and clung to them in clumps. "Any other girl would be aw-ing right now."_

_I spun around quickly, surprising Luke, and pointed my finger at his face with a confident bright smile. "Now, now Luke. You know I'm not just any girl." Luke reacted smoothly as always, catching my hand and pulling me closer. Even with Loric strength, I couldn't resist him. His breath tickled my lips and our body were pressed close I could feel every hard plane of his chest. His bright blue eyes bore into my green ones as he whispered the next words._

"_You really aren't." He said just before brushing his warm lips against the top of my fingers. My heart pounded against my chest and my face grew hot. I was in way too deep._

Five gasped for breath when the memory slowly subsided. Her face was still buried in John's chest, inhaling his distinct scent. He allowed her to pull away and watched carefully as Five lifted her hand to her forehead. She knew he saw what she did and regretted discussing it with him. John's hand was still resting at the small of her back, drawing soothing circles. "I'm fine." Five reassured as she closed her eyes.

"You don't look fine." John replied in his signature John style. Five smiled as she stared at the dirty subway floor. Memory of that day was still swirling in her mind. She could remember the sound of Luke's sneakers against the stairs as he jogged up the steps to their apartment. She could imagine Rowan's deep frown as she bid him goodbye. She could taste the salt off her lips from the French fries they shared and the spray of the ocean water. Five could recall how warm his hands were as they held her waist and pulled her close. "Who was that?" John's voice brought her back.

Five's fingers dug into John's side, gripping at his white t-shirt to ground herself in the present and not her memories. The boy looked down at her with worried eyes. Five stood up, running her fingers through her long hair, trying to clear her head. "My boyfriend." Five replied, clearly studying John's reaction. His blue eyes flashed, not with shock, but with understanding and something else.

"I see." John said his words steeling and maybe a little cold. He wasn't look at her, focusing on a spot on the wall. "Do you still have feelings for him?"

"Do you still have feelings for Sarah?" Five naturally fired back before turning away and out of his arms. Jealousy bubbled in her stomach and she cursed herself. That was uncalled for. _You're the queen of uncalled for actions. _Five chastised herself. She wrapped her arms around her waist, feeling cold suddenly. She wouldn't look at John's face as the silence stretched on between them. Five wanted to apologize and not at the same time. She didn't deserve John. _Hell, I didn't deserve Luke either. _

"Five…" John whispered before the subway jerked to a stop. Five looked past his shoulder and read the name.

"This is our stop." She announced before walking past him, schooling her expression into an emotionless one. John followed wordlessly.

John looked at the dark words imprinted into the stone arch. A black iron gate separated the living from the dead. Five's hand was rested around one of the steel post, already telekinesis the lock open. John's stomach sank at who she buried here. A small somber smile graced her pretty lips as she looked at him with sad green eyes. "Scared, Four?" She teased but lacked the playfulness from before.

"I'm not dressed right." John said, gesturing to his jeans, t-shirt and hoodie. Five's smile widened but seemed even sadder. She was dressed in black leggings, a modest red dress and hat. Her blonde hair flowed free around her shoulders. In the crook of her elbow was a small bouquet of rosemary.

"The dead don't care what we wear, John." Five replied back, brushing back a piece of her hair. "You can stay here if you want." John quickly shook his head, gathering his wits and followed Five through the gates. The air seemed almost chilly as soon as he crossed the barrier and entered the grounds. The grass was cut neatly everywhere. All the headstones were clean and polished, gleaming in the light. A few had flowers and candles, marking visitors while others sat unadorned. They didn't past anyone as they walked, Five leading and John followed.

John was afraid to ask who they were visiting. After what happened in the subway, John confirmed Five had deep scars on her heart. They all did but Five always had a knack of hiding hers better than others. _Maybe not hiding but avoiding, _John corrected as he watched the girl walk. Her head was held high and emotions shielded. Her emerald eyes were faced forward, not wavering a bit.

"Luke was a typical New York guy." Five started in a calm voice. John looked up, not sure how he should react as she spoke about her boyfriend. Her voice was clear. No hitch when she said his name. There was a softness John was jealous of. Whoever this Luke guy was, he craved somewhere deep within her and whatever happened between them left scars that were barely healed. How do you compete with a dead guy? _You don't. _John answered as he listened. "Artsy, musician, over-caffeinated. He worked at a coffee stand. Rowan despised him. Maybe that's why I liked him." Her voice lowered as she turned down another path, up a hill with a few oak trees. "He was so carefree. So much fun. Whenever I was with him, I felt like a girl instead of some super powerful being with a huge destiny." Five stopped suddenly and John looked. The gravestone still looked new with simple engraved writing. "Hey Rowan," Five greeted, crouching down and placing the rosemary bouquet down.

"Wait, that's not Luke's grave?" John asked, rushing over to her side and read the writing. **Rowan Lewis. Loving grandfather. 1954 – 2013. **"Rowan…" John read, feeling the knot in his throat slowly dissipate. Luke wasn't dead. _Is that good or not? _John thought as he kneeled down beside Five, burying his face in the palms of his hands. "I'm an idiot."

"Did you expect Luke's name?" Five asked, tilting her head to look at him. There was a little teasing glint in her emerald eyes.

"I don't know what to expect with you." John admitted, rubbing face and shaking his head. Five chuckled and covered her mouth. Her eyes were closed and her shoulders were shaking from the laughter. John grinned; glad he could snap Five out of her serious mood. "How did he…?"

"In his sleep." Five answered, already knowing his question. She sat in the wet grass, not caring if it would ruin her dress. That was something John liked about Five. She didn't care about the state of her clothes as long as she was comfortable. John settled beside her, crossing his legs and resting arms in his lap. He nearly jumped when Five tucked her right arm in the crook of his left. She leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder, slowly gathering her thoughts. "It's kind of fitting. He was never a fighter. We spent a majority of our time sneaking around Mogs. One perk of living in Asian was everyone looked similar. Spotting a Mog was easy; they stuck out like a sore thumb." She paused for a second, swallowing a lump in her throat. "I couldn't imagine Rowan getting gunned down or tossed off a cliff by a Mog. Maybe it would have hurt less if they killed him. Maybe I would have harbor some hatred for them and I would have a purpose like Nine and Six but no, Rowan was just old." She paused again and John could feel her chest rise and fall with each breath. "Daemon found him in his office. He was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed over his stomach. His notebook, the one he left me, sat on the desk with a pen tucked in one of the pages. Daemon told me he looked peaceful." Tears were falling from her deep emerald eyes and over her soft cheeks. John reached over with his other hand and squeezed her hand which was gripping his arm.

John wanted to cheer her up but it didn't seem right. There are just some moments were you have to let your shields down. Even the strongest people are allowed to be weak for a little bit. John was just glad Five trusted him enough to be weak in front of him. A crazy idea popped up in his head and John took a deep breath.

"Hey Rowan, you don't know me but I'm starting to know you a little bit more." John started, focusing on the headstone and trying to recalling the photo Five hid in her Chest. Rowan appeared to be a stern old man but with what John learned today, he seemed like a kind grandfather. "I just want to say thanks. Thank you for accepting the Cepan position. Thank you for protecting and raising such a wonderful girl. Five can be stubborn, headstrong and a little self-loathing." John could feel Five trying to pull away from him but he kept a firm grip on her. A tiny smile played on his lips as he continued. "She's blind to how we need her. How her smiles can easily lift our hearts and her little sneaky comments coaxed laugher even in bleak moments. She tries to hide her problems, trying to endure the pain alone. It's frustrating and she doesn't even notice how much we worry about her. How I worry about her." He could feel the blonde beside him still at his words but he wouldn't look at her, still talking to Rowan. "You raised one hell of a girl Rowan and I wouldn't trade her for the world. So, do you think you could tell her not to break my heart?"

John let Five have her hands back and he closed his blue eyes, waiting for a hard slap or something. He turned his head to look at the girl beside him. Five had her eyes buried in her hands. Her shoulders were shaking slight and John was worried she was crying. But her kissable lips were curled up in an unmistakable smile. "Too cheesy?" John asked, feeling his heart beat painfully in his chest.

Five looked up at him, shaking her head slightly as a breathy laugh escaped her lips. Her hair was messy. Her green eyes were red from crying. Tears still stained her soft cheeks but the smile John loved was there on her lips. John had never seen a more beautiful sight. "I guess I have a weakness for cheesy guys." She replied before kissing his cheek and hugging his arm.


End file.
